Legacy
by Breathe Lighting
Summary: AU. In the wizarding world every family name carries expectations with it. Raised by the Malfoys following his parents' arrests, Rigel Lestrange grew up burdened by his name. When the war starts and his family returns, Rigel feels the weight of everything crushing him down. After the war, Rigel struggles in a world where his name is tainted. HG/OC, Previously The Edge of Darkness.
1. Mother

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. It belongs to J.K. Rowling.**

 **Story Notes:**

For the purposes of this story and because JK Rowling has admitted she sucks at math, Hogsmeade isn't the only all Wizarding village/town in Britain. That just doesn't make any since more than 100,00 witches and wizards attended the Quidditch World Cup Final and the tickets were hard to get, not to mention the size of the Ministry, the number of Quidditch teams mentioned, and the fact the people with magic lived much longer than Muggles.

I've also adjusted the number of students at Hogwarts. From the books, Hogwarts couldn't have more than 300 students, especially since counting Harry, there are only 5 boys in Gryffindor in his year. Given how large the castle is, the estimated number of witches and wizards, I'm going to say that more than 1,000 students attend Hogwarts at a given time, though less during the war.

This is a story is a sequel of sorts to "The Beginning", but it's not necessary to read that to understand this story since this takes place years after that story ended. That story merely covers the Bellatrix's pregnancy. She and Rodolphus have a son, Rigel Arcturus Lestrange.

In this world Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Barty Crouch Jr. were sent after the Longbottoms while Voldemort went after the Potters, so they still ended up in Azkaban. Rigel was sent to live with his with his aunt and uncle, Narcissa and Lucius, who are also his godparents.

Rigel's birthday is November 17, 1978, so he started Hogwarts in 1990. He is almost two year older than Draco, but only one year ahead at Hogwarts because his birthday is after September, which I believe is the Hogwarts cutoff month. I've made Daphne Greengrass as year older so she's in Rigel's year. Adrian Pucey is mention in the books but not much is known so I've made him my own.

The first few chapters cover the books, but the bulk of the story will take place post DH. Most of the story will be from Rigel's point of view, with a few scenes checking in on the Order, mostly to cover differences in canon outside of Rigel's perspective.

This will jump around a bit as we build towards the beginning of the war.

* * *

 **5 July 1995, Malfoy Manor**

Rigel Lestrange had no real memories about his parents. Everything he knows about his parents he learned from someone who knew them before they were sent to Azkaban. Most of his knowledge came from his Aunt and Uncle, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. They raised him from the age of three and talked to him about his parents. He's seen pictures of them and recognizes the some of his features in them. He knows from Narcissa that his height and jawline are like his father's and hair from his mother. His eyes, electric blue, were different from Narcissa's sea-blue eyes, but still Black family features. There were some Black family portraits are the Manor, and a fair few possessed blue eyes, some bright and stormy like his or sea-blue like his aunt Cissy. In a way, his Black features made him look like Narcissa's son.

It made sense in a way; the Malfoys had taken the place of his parents in his life. And Draco was more brother than cousin. They were there in all his memories, his first broom and flight lessons, getting his wand, going to Hogwarts for the first time, making the Quidditch team as a chaser, winning the Quidditch cup, and getting his Prefect's badge. He remembered Draco; just two years younger than him, sitting with Narcissa watching as Rigel took his first flight. Draco upset that he wasn't part of it, but he was too young and Narcissa refused. Two years later, Rigel helped Lucius teach Draco to fly and eventually ran Quidditch drills with Draco.

In all of his memories, Lucius and Narcissa took the roles of parents and Draco was his brother. He always felt like a Malfoy, not quite like a Lestrange. Even when he went to Hogwarts and was address by his last name, when gossips talked about his parents, and even when the Longbottom boy arrived at Hogwarts and the school was waiting for a confrontation that never quite came, through all of it Rigel felt no real connection to his last name.

Lestrange was the name of his parents, people of which he had no real memory of, prisoners in Azkaban and murderers. Malfoy was the name of the family he was raised by, the family that he loved, and the ones who were there for him. Everything that he was it was their doing. Rigel thought of the Malfoys as family, but his parents were strangers to him. Strangers that killed and tortured; strangers that he had never met and had no affection for.

Narcissa had always maintained that his parents loved him. That they did many terrible things, but they loved him. Rigel wasn't quite sure he believed her. Rigel had ordered his house-elf to tell him about his parents and bound by his master's command, Bingo told him that his parents had returned to their Death Eater duties shortly after his birth. He knew that his mother worked closely with the Dark Lord after her return and often went days without visiting him despite his young age.

Bingo said that his father took care of him at first and when he had Death Eater business Rodolphus had left him with Narcissa. The house-elf told him how as they returned to their normal activities they began to spend less time with him. Worst of all, Bingo spoke of an increasing sense of darkness that surrounded around them, how as time went on and they continued as Death Eaters they seemed to lose themselves in the dark arts. Rigel had discovered various sources that spoke of the consequences of using dark magic, particularly the prolonged use of Unforgivables. Among the cautions for dark magic was madness, something that Rigel knew was somewhat of a family trait of the Blacks, his mother's family.

Years' worth fearful people's reactions to his last name had made him wonder about what he might have inherited from his parents. By most accounts, they were already insane before they sent to Azkaban. Now more than a decade later, Rigel wondered just what his parents were like, but that was a moot point. Besides, he was happy with the Malfoys.

Lucius had always been cold and distant, but Rigel never minded, he had always been quite. He preferred the quiet and solitude of Lucius and Malfoy Manor. As for Narcissa, she had always enjoyed doting on him even if he hated to show his feelings, felt uncomfortable with her displays of affection. Lucius and Narcissa had been great guardians to Rigel, even if Draco was more of rival than anything else.

Rigel and Draco had been close when they were young, but as they grew their relationship changed. Lucius had always been strict with high expectations for both of them, though they responded in different ways. Rigel was determined, focused, and highly motivated to get things done. He worked tirelessly to accomplish his goals and never gave up. Draco was restless, impulsive, and indecisive. He also lacked the determination and patience to accomplish his goals. Despite their differences, they had remained close even at Hogwarts.

Rigel and Draco had been back from school for two days now, but had yet to see Lucius. Narcissa had picked them up at the train station and refused to answer their questions about the supposed return of the Dark Lord. She only told them to mind their own business and start on their summer homework.

It was late now, after supper, and Rigel was reading. The door opened in walked Lucius. He was dressed in all black robes, but not his usual fine dress robes. He motioned with his wand and an identical set in Rigel's size floated to him.

"Rigel," he said. "These are now yours. You'll wear them every time we have a lesson. _Never_ wear them for anything else. Get dressed, we have work to do."

Rigel nodded and moved to dress without a word. If he was right, Lucius would be teaching him about the Dark Arts. With the new robes, he left his room and followed Lucius outside past the gardens and well into the forest area far away from the manor.

"There's a lot I must teach you," Lucius said. "You must never tell Draco about this, he is too young."

Lucius paused in a small clearing. Rigel watched as he removed a disillusionment charm and several caged animals became visible. There were rabbits, squirrels, and deer in cages on the edge of the clearing. In the middle was a fenced area.

"What is this place?" he asked.

Lucius had finished removing the charm and he turned to face his nephew. "You've no doubt heard about what happened with Potter and Diggory during the third task." Rigel nodded. "The Dark Lord is back and he is looking for faithful servants," Lucius stated. "I've never sheltered you to the truths of this family's involvement during the first Wizarding War, and I won't start now. You know that your parents were among the Dark Lord's most powerful and trusted Death Eaters. As their son, you will be expected to follow in their footsteps and join us after you come of age."

Rigel stared at his uncle. For all the truth he knew about his parents and Lucius's involvement with the Death Eaters, he never really thought it would matter. The Dark Lord had been gone for over a decade and for all the trouble of the past few years that Potter had encountered, it never seemed like he was actually still alive. Even when Lucius had reunited with some other former Death Eaters at the World Cup, he hadn't thought it meant anything in the long run. During the past years, he'd been too focused on the Tournament and spending time with Fleur to really pay attention to what was going on. The signs had been there. The Death Eaters, the burning marks, and someone was clearly out to get Potter, but he hadn't paid it any attention.

"You must learn the dark arts. It's my responsibility as your guardian to train you in them," Lucius explained.

It clicked. The animals would be his test dummies. "Unforgivables," he said. "You want me to learn Unforgivables."

"Yes, among other things."

It was the first time he used dark magic. He managed to cast the _Imperio_ with some talent. He didn't get the Cruciatus Curse that night. All he managed to do was knock the animals down. It would be a long time before he could try it on humans with any amount of success. Rigel wondered if he could handle the screams that accompanied a well-cast curse. After another unsuccessful attempt at _Crucio_ , Lucius stopped him.

" _Sectumsepra_ ," he said. He nodded in the direction of the fenced in rabbit he was supposed to have practice _Crucio_ on.

Rigel turned to the rabbit and called out " _Sectumsepra_!"

The spell hit the rabbit and blood splattered Rigel. He closed his eyes and mouth as he fought the urge to vomit. He opened his eyes and found the rabbit dead in a pool of blood. Its body was mangled and unrecognizable. He turned away from Lucius and threw up.

* * *

 **Early August 1995, 12 Grimmauld Place**

Harry had arrived at Grimmauld Place, but it changed nothing. Mrs. Weasley had them cleaning most of them time, and Hermione had yet to see spend any time in the library. The Blacks were an ancient family, and they would have plenty of information on the Ministry, information that they would need if the Ministry kept trying to discredit Harry and Dumbledore.

Hermione seemed to be the only one that was thinking of the long-term consequences of what the Ministry was doing. You-Know-Who was back and the Ministry was giving time to rebuild his army. By pretending that he wasn't back and there was no danger, the Ministry was hurting itself. Then there was the Order, Hermione didn't' know what exactly they did. She understood their reluctance to include them in the Order while they were still in school, but she, Harry, and Ron had been fighting You-Know-Who since their first year. They had fought Death Eaters. They could no longer be considered children, but the Order didn't want to acknowledge that.

Of course, the Order themselves didn't seem to be doing much. They were protecting something, Hermione knew that much, but they didn't seem to be getting ready for a war. For what she'd been told about the First Wizarding War, it had been brutal, with disappearances, torture, and death reported every week. The Order, while full of talented wizards, wasn't numerous, and with the Ministry refusing to help, it fell on the Order to battle the Death Eaters.

But the Order didn't have enough members to do much of anything. They didn't even seem to have a plan. You-Know-Who had come back from death, or something close to death, at least twice that they knew of, and nobody had a clue as to how to defeat him. Dumbledore was the greatest wizard alive and he wasn't raising an army to fight the Death Eaters while he battled You-Know-Who.

It was beyond frustrating, even the Order, who knew that You-Know-Who was back, was failing to properly prepare for a war they expected to happen. Then there were all the people that didn't know You-Know-Who was back. Those who relied on the _Prophet_ , and had no ties to the Order. What would happen to those people? They weren't being protected or prepared for war. When the war officially began, they would most likely be slaughtered if they opposed You-Know-Who, or be forced to join the Death Eaters. Nobody in the Order was thinking about them. They were all concerned about Harry. Hermione was glad they were protecting him, she really was, but Harry himself wasn't going to make much of a difference if You-Know-Who killed all those who opposed him.

* * *

 **13 January 1996, Hogwarts, Great Hall**

Rigel walked into the Great Hall with his friends at his side and made his way over to the Slytherin table. As he walked he felt dozens of eyes land on him, but he showed no emotion. His eyes found Draco at their house table, but the Daily Prophet in his hands distracted the blond. He glanced at Adrian and Miles at his side, but they were curious about the newfound attention. Rigel had always been well known at Hogwarts for many reasons, including his prison bound parents, but never had the entire Great Hall been fixated on him.

Finally, Rigel reached his customary seat across from Draco and was promptly given a copy of the Prophet. Death Eaters had escaped from Azkaban, his parents were among them. Rigel turned to his housemates and glared at anyone who stared. They should know better than to expect him to tell them about his parents. He'd never mention them before and he had no plans to talk about them now. Draco remained silent, and completely ignored his cousin. Rigel wasn't surprised, Draco was jealous of the attention Rigel was receiving from Lucius.

Rigel had always known where he stood with the Malfoys. Narcissa doted, Lucius remained distant and harsh, and Draco was his very competitive friend. He and Draco always spent time together, even though they had their own set of friends and were in separate years. But after Lucius began to privately train Rigel in the dark arts, Draco became jealousy and angry. In the past when Rigel got something before Draco because of his age, Draco still knew about it.

When Rigel had learned to fly, Draco at least got to watch and be there until he was old enough for his own broom. Now Rigel got private lessons from Lucius and Draco didn't know what they were about, he didn't get to even see the lessons. Not knowing why Rigel needed private lessons from Lucius made Draco feel left out, as if he was losing his father to Rigel. But there was nothing they could do about it. Narcissa refused to have Draco get involved, and even though Lucius suspected he would be drafted into the Death Eaters he believed it would be years away, particularly if Rigel did well in the Death Eaters.

Though they still weren't talking, when Draco antagonized Potter and the Weasleys to attack him, Rigel had flown down and thrown them away from his cousin. But that was expected. Slytherins stuck together, at least in public. No matter what your personal feelings toward your housemates, outside of the common room you were all friends. For now, Rigel was just going to have let Draco be and do everything in his power to keep him away from the Death Eaters

With a final glare to his the others students that waited to see him react, Rigel began to eat. There wasn't anything he could do anyway. As he ate, he thought about what would happen. Obviously, they were fugitives, but where were they staying? Where hiding they at Malfoy Manor? Or at the Lestrange Manor? Rigel knew that despite being in Azkaban, they still retained their assets, at least until he came of age and claimed them. Gringotts kept their clients' accounts until their deaths and Rigel wouldn't have access until his parents died or gave him access. The only thing he could claim was a small portion set aside for the family heir. His 17th birthday had been some months ago but he had done nothing to retrieve his assets from Lucius or petition the Council. He'd been waiting until summer. Now he wondered if they had returned to their former home and would hide there. Rigel wondered when he would see them.

* * *

 **18 June 1996, Hogwarts, Great Hall**

For the second time that year, Rigel learned about his parent's exploits from the _Daily Prophet_. His father was back in Azkaban after being captured breaking into the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry. Potter and his idiot friends had been there but the _Prophet_ made it clear that it had been Dumbledore who captured all the Death Eaters, except for his mother, Bellatrix Lestrange. Rigel looked up and glared at the students staring at him. He looked at Draco, sitting across from him and stubbornly focused on his meal. Rigel had grown used to his parents being in Azkaban, but this is a new experience for Draco.

Draco finished his meal quickly and left the Great Hall. Rigel left his half-eaten meal behind and followed him. He found Draco in the empty Slytherin Common Room, staring into the fire. Rigel sat down beside his cousin and consider his words.

"Draco," he started.

"I don't want to hear it," Draco snapped. "I just want this year to be over, to go home."

Rigel sighed but did not reply. Draco was probably hoping that things would be better at home, with Narcissa, who he long believed could fix anything. It was a childish thought but Rigel didn't dispute it. He had no idea what lay ahead for them and there was no point in worrying Draco about something they wouldn't be able to control.

* * *

 **20 June 1996, Hogwarts, the Library**

Hermione was back at the Hogwarts library. Ever since the debacle at the Department of Mysteries, she had focused on Wizarding battles, particularly duels. How they were fought, rules, know battles. Most importantly, she had researched spells to use during battle. What they did, how to cast them, and how long their effects lasted.

The battle had shown Hermione just how unprepared she and the others had been. Sure they were students and had done a decent job fending off the Death Eaters, but only because of the prophecy. The Death Eaters were there to get the prophecy, and as long as Harry had it, the main concern was to retrieve intact.

Now that the Ministry accepted Voldemort's return, the Aurors were on a look out for him and his followers, but Hermione wondered just how effect the Ministry was. From what she knew of the First Wizarding War, had Voldemort not gone to the Potter's house, he may have won the war. The Ministry wasn't particularly adept at fighting a war, and the Order had many young wizards with more guts than brains.

If they were to defeat Voldemort for good this time, then everyone needed to change their strategy. There were rumors that Voldemort had recruited werewolves, vampires, and other dark creatures, and while there was no proof, Hermione suspected Voldemort needed a surge in followers. Most of his top Death Eaters were now in Azkaban, and he would need to build a proper army if he was to take on the Ministry.

Then there was the Muggle question. Muggles were starting to notice something was wrong. They were being attack more than wizards, and they had no means to defend themselves against magic, which they didn't even know existed. Muggles had weapons, but Hermione didn't know if they worked on wizards. Could _Protego_ stop a bullet? Nobody had ever tried; she doubted wizards even knew about half the weapons Muggles had invented.

If the Death Eaters kept attacking Muggles, they could very well break the Statue of Secrecy. It was clear that while Ministry was trying to Obliviate Muggles that witnessed Death Eater activities, there had to be Muggles who were witnessing the strange occurrences and weren't taken care of. Hermione shuddered to think what would happen if Muggles discovered that magic was real. Muggles had committed atrocities on their own kind for things like religion, who knew what they'd do if they discovered magic.

Hermione had yet to figure out where the rest of the Wizarding world stood. Would foreign Ministries try to help them? What were things like on the continent? Hermione had talked with Viktor about what life on the continent immediately before Grindelwald's defeat and it sounded grim. Even after his death things been dark. If Grindelwald had left such destruction on the much larger continent, what could Voldemort do to Britain?

His followers were already close to breaking the Statue of Secrecy and that affected more than just Britain. Hermione wondered if the Death Eaters had allies on the continent. Karkaroff had been a Death Eater and as far as Hermione knew, he hadn't attended Hogwarts. How had he gotten mixed up with them? She would have to start researching foreign Ministries and the history of magic on the continent, though she never recalled anything of that sort being mention at Hogwarts or any books about the continent at Hogwarts. Great more research to be done and she had no help.

She had talked with Harry and Ron, but when they weren't interested. Ron hated research no matter what the reason. Harry was busy wallowing after Sirius's death. Neither of them seemed to understand the far-reaching implications on a full war against Voldemort. The Order didn't want to include them into their plans, but considering how foolish they'd been when they went to the Department of Mysteries, it would probably be best if they were included. They didn't have to fight, not that the Order did much fighting, and they weren't ready for a real fight, but if they at least knew what the Order was doing they might be of some help. At least that way they would be better informed in case something happened.

Not that the Order seemed to be doing anything. Hermione suspected that the Department of Mysteries was the first fight they'd been in, at least during this war. It was one thing for students to be unprepared to fight Death Eaters, but Hermione didn't think the Order was prepared to fight them either. Not that anybody seemed inclined to train. That was probably the best thing they could do to prepare for the war, seeing as they would have to rely on Harry to end Voldemort.

The Order and the Ministry ought to be training people to fight Death Eaters or at least help them defend themselves. They should be recruiting heavily, but only Voldemort seemed to want to do that. If the Ministry and the Order relied on their current tactics, the war wouldn't last long. Voldemort would surely win if half the Wizarding world couldn't properly defend themselves.

Hermione thought to all the recent Hogwarts graduates, and she doubted any of them would last very long against Death Eaters. After talking with Viktor, Hermione wondered just who decided the Hogwarts curriculum because they clearly didn't know what was important for students to learn. She wondered if maybe a Dueling Club would help. It would certainly teach students how to properly battle, if someone who knew what they were doing taught it.

All of Hermione's knowledge had failed her at the Department of Mysteries. For all the spells she knew, she hadn't been very effective in fighting the Death Eaters. Her mind was bogged down by useless spells and facts. Faced with ruthless Death Eaters, Hermione hadn't been able to stop them. Her reflexes weren't sharp enough, she didn't have practice dueling competent opponents, and she just hadn't been good enough. None of them had been, but they had nobody to teach them, aside from Harry, and he was no expert. He had earned his knowledge, but it wasn't much when pitted against seasoned Death Eaters.

In order to stand a chance against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, they had to change their tactics. They need to inform people, recruit, train, and plan for every possible scenario. They didn't know what Voldemort was planning but they couldn't afford to wait for him to make the first move. They had to be proactive. They had to be ready for when he did make his move, except Hermione seemed to be the only one who thought that. Everyone else was fine with waiting.

* * *

 **21 June 1996, Malfoy Manor**

Narcissa, Rigel, and Draco arrived at Malfoy Manor after apparating from the train station. Narcissa let go of their arms and stepped away from her son and nephew. They had not spoken since greeting each other at the station, though she knew they had questions.

"I'm sure you have questions," she began. The boys nodded, both looking weary. "There is nothing I can say that you have not already read in the paper."

"What's going to happen?" Draco asked.

"Nothing, what's done is done," Narcissa said. "There is no need to worry. For now, it would be best if you would concentrate on you studies, Newt level students have plenty of homework."

"All right," Draco said. He seemed relieved to hear his mother's explanation.

Narcissa smiled and stepped forward. She pressed a kiss to Draco's check and watching walk up the stairs. Rigel watched him go before turning to Narcissa.

"My mother, can I see her?" he asked.

"It's … complicated," Narcissa answered. She paused for a moment and continued, "You'll see her soon."

Rigel nodded and headed to his room. His things had already been brought back and put away. He took out his books and began working on his summer homework. He was taking six Newt level classes and they all required a lot of work.

Hours passed while he worked. The sun disappeared and he lit the lights around the room. He was putting his books away when the door to his room burst open. He looked at the dark figure approaching.

A tall dark haired woman wearing a black corseted dress sauntered in. She was pale and thin, almost like a skeleton. Her face was gaunt but there were remnants of beauty in it. Narcissa trailed in after her, looking worried, but Rigel barely paid her any attention. His mother was there, standing in front of him. He stared at her, trying to recall the few pictures he'd seen of her. He could see some resemblance, in their cheekbones and the color of their hair.

"Mother?" he said.

His mother, Bellatrix, stared at him, her dark eyes looking him up and down. Rigel straightened, drawing himself to his full height and waited. Narcissa moved forward, stepping between Bellatrix and Rigel. Bellatrix walked around Narcissa and circled Rigel. He stayed still, waiting for her to speak. Her observation complete, she settled next to Narcissa.

"Cissy tells me you at the top of your year," she said.

"I am," he said.

"Schoolwork is one thing, duels are another," Bellatrix said. "Have you ever dueled anyone?"

"Not really, only play dueling for fun," he said, feeling stupid and childish for his answer. He'd heard all about his mother's dueling skills, knew that she was a supremely talented witch.

"We'll have to change that. Come with me boy," Bellatrix ordered. She moved past Narcissa and out the door. Rigel glanced at Narcissa who nodded and followed his mother out the door. Bellatrix was already halfway down the stairs and he ran after her. He thanked Merlin for his height as he caught up with her.

Bellatrix led him outside, behind the Manor. They passed by the garden and Bellatrix sneered at the white peacocks walking across the lawn. She shot a quick, nonverbal spell near them, scattering them. They kept walking, heading into the woods behind the manor. Finally, they stopped in a small clearing; the same one Lucius had taken him to the previous summer. Bellatrix flicked her wand and torches around the clearing flared up.

"Lucius told me of his attempts to train you," Bellatrix said, her voice full of contempt, for him or Lucius, he couldn't say. Bellatrix walked further into the clearing, stopping only when she was opposite of him. "He should have known better than to use animals. The Unforgivables, you need to _mean_ them, but we'll get to that later. Now, we duel."

Bellatrix took her stance, wand at the ready. Rigel copied her position, his mind racing. His mother was a prodigious duelist. He didn't stand a chance. Rigel bowed and waited as his mother mimicked the bow. She was straightening out when she fire off a spell. A pale yellow light flew at him and Rigel barely had time to put up his shield. The spell hit his shield and dissolved but the force it carried pushed him back. He staggered back and tripped over an exposed tree stem. Rigel fell on his back and scrambled to his feet, barely avoiding a blue light that hit a tree behind him. He turned to face his mother and raised his wand.

" _Expelliarmus_!" he shouted.

Bellatrix didn't bother blocking his spell, she jumped out of the way and fired off a series of spells. Rigel raised a shield but the barrage of spells sent him flying back. His back slammed into a tree, the force of the crash making his drop his wand. He groaned as he slid down the tree trunk. He fell to the ground and he rolled in the direction of his wand. He sprung to his feet and reached.

Rigel was reaching for his wand when a branch crashed into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him, and drove him back. His back hit the tree again and the branch wrapped around the trunk, trapping him. The branch squeezed him tightly before loosening. He looked up and saw Bellatrix standing in front of him, her wand pointed at him.

"You have a long way to go," she said, sneering at him.

They trained for hours, dueling against each other. Rigel lost every time. It was a game of sorts, to see how long he could last. He'd given up hope of beating her. She blasted him back, using spells he'd never read about mush less used. Sometimes she spoke them aloud, when she wanted him to figure out the spell and its effects, but mostly she used nonverbal spells.

When the sun started to rise, Bellatrix finally let him go. Rigel dragged his feet, feeling exhausted. He was bruised and bloodied. His clothes were dirty and torn, and his hair was partially signed. He'd never felt more fatigued in his life. Even after brutal Quidditch matches, he'd never felt so hurt and exhausted.

By the time they reached the manor, Rigel was ready to collapse. Narcissa was waiting for them. She stood up when they came and rushed to Rigel's side, checking his injuries. She took his arm and led him to the nearest room. Bellatrix watched them go but did not follow. Rigel wanted to call out to her, but held the words back.

Narcissa led him to a sofa and began healing his wounds. His aunt had a quite a talent for healing spells and she made use of it, cleaning and sealing all the cuts on his body. Rigel watched her work, wondering how she had learned it all. Once she was finished, Narcissa produced a small vial and handed it to him.

"You should get some rest. Take the potion, it'll help with the bruising and pain," Narcissa said.

"And my mother?" he asked.

"She'll be back tomorrow. Don't worry," Narcissa answered. She smiled reassuringly at him. "Bella's not the same as before, Azkaban changes people, but she cares about you."

Rigel wanted to say more, but Narcissa had a faraway look in her eyes. She was probably thinking of Lucius, stuck in Azkaban. Rigel nodded and headed to his room to sleep.

In the weeks following the end of term at Hogwarts, Rigel trained with Bellatrix. Every day she woke him up before dawn and led him to the clearing in the woods behind the manor. Their duels had devastated the area and the clearing was bigger than before, all courtesy of her spells. Rigel had yet to beat her or even come close. She was fast and had incredible aim.

He'd gotten used to being blasted around the woods, smacking into trees and rocks. Bellatrix had proven a better teacher than Lucius, showing as astonishing knowledge of jinxes, curses, and hexes, not all of which were classified as Dark Magic. Despite the one-sided duels, Rigel was learning. He was faster with his spells, he'd learned which hexes couldn't be blocked by _Protego_ , and he'd learned to makes use of his surroundings.

His biggest success was in Occlumency. Building and maintaining mental shields came easily to him, though he was not yet at her level. Bellatrix seemed impressed with his skill at Occlumency

Despite all the time they spent together, Rigel felt no affection from his mother. She was cold and distant every time they spoke and he never saw her outside of training, though he knew she spoke with Narcissa. On occasion he caught her watching him, studying him but it never lasted.

In early July, Bellatrix broke off contact.

"It's for the best," Narcissa said, trying to placate him. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off. She hadn't liked that Bellatrix had been training him or that he'd taken to the Dark Arts quickly.

"The Ministry is increasing their surveillance," she said. "If they find proof we've had contact with her, we'll all be in trouble."

"We can get around it," Rigel said. "The Ministry is full of idiots or followers of the Dark Lord."

"It's not that simple. Dumbledore's Order has been getting to the highranking Ministry members under the _Imperius_ and removing the spell," Narcissa explained.

Rigel frowned and stared out the window. He wouldn't exactly miss his mother, for all the time they spent together training, he barely knew her, but he wanted to know her. He wanted to know that she cared about him.

* * *

 **Honestly this is has been on my laptop for years since I finished The Beginning. The plot has changed about 5 times now and I once erased 20k+ words because I changed my mind about something. At the moment, it's maybe 1/3 or 1/4 done but if I never publish it I'll probably never finish. Getting feedback definitely helps so let me know what you think. I've got enough for about 5 more chapters right now depending on how I split it but in anticipation of publishing this I've started working on it so hopefully I'll pump out more chapters quickly.**


	2. Gringotts Encounter

**Nice to see people interested in the story. I want to note that I like worldbuilding. Part of the reason I took so long with this was all the time I spent fiddling with Rowling's existing canon before finally throwing parts of it away because they didn't make sense as it was even before I started changing things. One thing that was completely changed was the Black family tree. I mentioned in chapter 1 that I reworked the population of the wizarding world in Britain, I actually spent quite a long time fiddling with the math, specially in regards to settlements. I have a folder for this story and it's full of files about things like population, gringotts vault/family fortunes, and others things. So from now on, each chapter will include some sort of tidbit (usually taking the form of excerpts from articles or books in the wizarding world that add depth to the world.**

* * *

 _The Daily Prophet_ 's: Britain's Wealthiest Families 1995

1\. Fawley Family

Estimated Worth: 1,120,000,000 Galleons

Source: Puddlemere United, Fawley Floo

Current Head: Eliza Fawley

2\. Whiddon Family:

Estimated Worth: 1,080,000,000 Galleons

Source: Tutshill Tornadoes

Current Head: Michael Whiddon II

3\. Cadwaller Family:

Estimated Worth: 1,050,000,000 Galleons

Source: Holyhead Harpies

Current Head: Gwendolyn Cadwaller

4\. Donelly Family

Estimated Worth: 1,00,000,000 Galleons

Source: Pride of Portree, Donelly Law

Current Head: Dougal Donelly III

5\. McIntyre Family

Estimated Worth: 950,000,000 Galleons

Source: Real Estate, Montrose Magpies

Current Head: Lachlan McIntyre

6\. Flint Family

Estimated Worth: 925,000,000 Galleons

Source: Pucey & Flint Law, Flint Records

Current Head: Myron Flint II

7\. Malfoy Family

Estimated Worth: 920,000,000 Galleons

Source: Malfoy Apothecaries, other businesses

Current Head: Lucius Malfoy II

8\. Lestrange Family

Estimated Worth: 850,000,000 Galleons

Source: Lestrange Imports, other businesses

Current Head: Rigel Lestrange

9\. Pucey Family

Estimated Worth: 825,000,000 Galleons

Source: Pucey Mining, Pucey & Flint Law

Current Head: Arlan Pucey IV

10\. Greengrass Family

Estimated Worth: 725,000,000 Galleons

Source: Greengrass Magitech Firm,

Current Head: Astor Greengrass II

11\. Nott Family

Estimated Worth: 675,000,000 Galleons

Source: Nott Vineyards, stocks

Current Head: Darren Nott

12\. Parkinson Family

Estimated Worth: 625,000,000 Galleons

Source: Parkinson Insurance

Current Head: Norbert Parkinson III

13\. McLaggen Family

Estimated Worth: 570,000,000 Galleons

Source: McLaggen Law, stocks

Current Head: Alistair McLaggen IV

14\. Randolph Family

Estimated Worth: 550,000,000 Galleons

Source: Randolph Hotels

Current Head: Regina Randolph

15\. Longbottom Family

Estimated Worth: 470,000,000 Galleons

Source: Longbottom Imports, stocks

Current Head: Augusta Longbottom

16\. Carmichael Family

Estimated Worth: 450,000,000 Galleons

Source: Carmichael Inc. (Investment Company)

Current Head: Joshua Carmichael II

17\. Ogden Family:

Estimated Worth: 420,000,000 Galleons

Source: Old Ogden's Firewhiskey

Current Head: Edmund Ogden II

18\. Schwartz Family

Estimated Worth: 330,000,000 Galleons

Source: Schwartz Jewelry

Current Head: Haldon Schwartz

19\. Potter Family

Estimated Worth: 250,000,000 Galleons

Source: Potter Portraits (disbanded), stocks,

Current Head: Harry Potter

20\. Vaisey Family

Estimated Worth: 170,000,000 Galleons

Source: Vaisey Cauldrons, Nimbus Company Holdings

Current Head: Artos Vaisey II

* * *

 **15 July 1996, The Burrow**

Hermione watched as the Weasleys ran around, all trying to get ready. Harry, Hermione, and most of the Weasleys had received owls from Gringotts that they were to attend the reading of Sirius' will. While the Weasleys had tried to subdue their reaction to the owls for Harry's sake, but the prospect of money was a hard pull to resists, especially for a family with their finances. Especially as she'd overheard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley saying that the Ministry had raised the property tax that was due at the end of the year. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were worried they wouldn't have enough by the time the tax was due, especially with the new Ministry Fee for Hogwarts students to cover the costs of the Aurors that would be patrolling the school grounds.

Having read up on the Ministry's policies regarding taxes and the new Hogwarts Student Fee in order to ensure she had enough, Hermione worried for the Weasleys. She'd seen the inside of the Weasleys vault in previous summers, and knew they weren't always the best with saving money. Hermione was worried they would have trouble with the increasing costs as the Wizarding world went to war. Mr. Weasley wasn't making enough money and none of their adult kids could afford to contribute much with the exuberant taxes and fees the Ministry was initiating.

"You ready?"

Hermione turned to find Harry standing next to her. He was dressed solemnly and looking miserable. Hermione knew that he had no interest in what his godfather had left him and would gladly give it all back in exchange for Sirius' life, but he understood how important Grimmauld Place was to the Order and the idea that Bellatrix could petition to inherit made him sick.

"Yeah, I'm ready," she said. The Weasleys were almost done, only Mrs. Weasley remained upstairs. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry said. "Really, I'm fine, just want to get his over with."

Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs then and they started to pile the Ministry provided car that would take them all to the Leaky Cauldron. Hagrid was waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron, explaining that he'd also received an owl and Dumbledore had convinced the Ministry that Hagrid was enough protection for Harry. Mrs. Weasley did not look like she enjoyed the change but nonetheless herded everyone toward the Diagon Alley entrance inside the Leaky Cauldron.

Diagon Alley was a shadow of its former self. Several shops were boarded up and shabby stalls had sprung up against the stores. Several stalls had signs for amulets and other supposedly protective items. Hermione was sure every one of them was fake. Mrs. Weasleys herded them forward quickly. The Weasley matron seemed excited to be going to Gringotts and terrified something would jump out and attack them.

Inside of Gringotts, they were directed to a side door leading into a waiting area near the offices of the higher ranked goblins. A young goblin at a desk near the door greeted them and asked them to wait for the other beneficiaries to arrive. There were two groups of armchairs, one on the left, and the other on the right. Each group had two rows of three chairs facing each other. Harry walked to the seats on the right and sat on the seat at the edge facing the windows. Ron saw next to him and Hermione took the seat across from Harry. George sat next to Ron and Fred sat across from him, leaving a seat between him and Hermione.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to the seats on the left and sat next to each other. Hagrid, much too big for an armchair, stood between the two groups of seats, leaving four empty seats near Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ginny had remained behind at the Burrow with Bill and Fleur, much to the youngest Weasleys displeasure which had more to do with been confined to a small place with Fleur than any jealousy over inheritance.

A few minutes later, Tonks came through the door, with an older woman Hermione assumed was her mother. The suspicion was confirmed when they came closer and the woman's resemblance to Bellatrix Lestrange startled everyone.

"I'm sorry," Harry said as he hastily put his wand away. Understandably, he had reacted the worst upon seeing her, having jumped out of his seat and charged. Embarrassed, Harry retreated to his seat.

"It's alright," said Andromeda, a tight smile on her face. In the window light, she looked less like her sister. Her hair was light brown, not jet black, and her yes wider and kinder than her sister's.

Tonks and her mother sat with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, chatting softly as they waited. Hermione heard Andromeda assure everyone that the Malfoys would not be attending. She was confident that Sirius would have made sure they, and Bellatrix, could not receive anything. That brought up another topic, who was missing? Harry and Andromeda were both sure Lupin was in Sirius' will, but if there was someone else there too, neither of them could say.

As the wait stretched out, Hermione grew bored and pulled out a small book on muggle history. She'd been neglecting to keep up with her muggle education and she was hoping to expand her knowledge of muggle history before Hogwarts started. Minutes passed and everyone was growing bored and impatient. They heard the door open and everyone turned, expecting Lupin to appear. It was not Lupin who entered.

Rigel Lestrange stepped in, looking like the picture of aristocratic Pureblood with his expensive robes, haughty demeanor, and a house-elf trailing after him with a briefcase in his arms. Hermione took comfort in that he was alone, not a Malfoy in sight. Lestrange did not seem to notice them, speaking with the goblin at the desk before the goblin pointed him in the direction of the seats, most of which were taken up. Lestrange frowned when he noticed them, his eyes scanning the seats available.

Hermione realized that there was only two available seats, between her and Fred and across from Ron or next to Andromeda and across from Tonks. Lestrange realized it as well and scowled. He looked back to the goblin at the desk and spoke with him again. Lestrange didn't appear to like what the goblin said, but he started making his way towards the seats.

"Don't say anything," Hermione said to Harry and Ron. The last thing the needed was for a fight to break out. "Harry, I doubt he's here about Sirius' will or he'd be with the Malfoys, just ignore him."

Harry still looked angry, but Ron was looking past her. Hermione turned and saw that Lestrange had stopped in the middle of the room. She followed his eyes to Andromeda. He obviously saw the resemblance between his mother and aunt. Hermione wondered if he'd seen his mother in person or knew her only from pictures.

"Hello, nephew," Andromeda said. She was studying Lestrange with the same intensity he studied her. Hermione was sure this was their first meeting face to face. Andromeda did not seem bothered by her nephew's intense gaze, but Hermione saw Tonks had her wand out.

Lestrange composed himself, erasing the surprised look with a blank expression. He seemed to weight his options, next to a Mudblood and a blood traitor or next to a blood traitor who had married a mudblood and bred with him to create a half-blood. Lestrange took a deep breath, resigning himself to his choice and took the seat next to Andromeda, his house-elf trotting to his side. Hermione looked at the elf. Like all house-elves, it wore a pillowcase instead of clothes, though Lestrange's elf wore a rather clean pillowcase.

"Madam Tonks," Lestrange said. It was rather polite, if it weren't for the ice in his voice. Still, it was better than Hermione expected. "I have only one aunt, a noble lady of dignity and class."

Of course he couldn't just let it go. The unvoiced insult made worse by the sneer he directed at his aunt.

"Hey, watch it!" Tonks said, her wand out and ready to hex him if he dared insult her mother again. Lestrange looked at Tonks and returned her glare.

"That's enough dears," Andromeda said before they could begin throwing insults. The two cousins looked away focusing on the anything but each other and Hermione was startled by the similarities between them. They were both frowning, Tonks at the table between them and Lestrange at the wall behind her. Both looked a bit like reprimanded but defiant children.

Andromeda looked between her daughter and nephew, sitting there refusing to look at each other wear petulant expressions not unlike two scolded children. Hermione noticed the strange expression on Andromeda's face, something close to fondness for both of them.

The door from one of the offices opened and an old goblin stepped out. He made his way toward the group as Lestrange stood.

"Mr. Lestrange, my deepest apologies for the wait," the goblin said. "I am Magnok, Senior Manager in charge of the Lestrange Accounts. This way please."

Lestrange nodded and followed the goblin toward his office, the house-elf trailing after his master. Ron scowled as they left.

"How come we have to wait so long?" Ron asked.

* * *

Rigel sat down, relaxing for the first time since he'd entered the waiting area. His mind raced, thinking back to Andromeda Tonks, his blood traitor aunt. He couldn't believe how much she looked like his mother. Nobody had warned him, though he supposed nobody expected him to see her. His house-elf, Bingo, appeared at his side, briefcase ready. The goblin, Magnok, had taken his seat and pulled out several pieces of parchment.

"Your former legal guardian, Mister Malfoy, had the documents written up before your coming of age. All that's left is to go over it and sign," Magnok said, looking down at the documents.

"Let us begin, first with your property. As the Lestrange heir, you gain control of three properties. In accordance with Ministry law, there are property taxes to be paid on both. As the Lestrange heir, you are permitted access to, but not complete control of vault number 270. Vault #420 has long been used to take care of property expenses. As long as there is ample money in Vault #270, Gringotts will ensure the property taxes are paid in full and on time."

Magnok passed him a piece of parchment that detailed his new estate and the taxes that would be due on them.

 **Transferred Assets:**

 **Properties:**

Montrose House: Montrose, Scotland

Estimated Worth: 29,200,000 Galleons

Inheritance Tax: 8,760,000 Galleons

Property Taxes: 2,920,000 (Due in December of each year)

Château Fontaine: Saint-Tropez, France

Estimated Worth: 7,820,000 Galleons

Inheritance Tax: 2,346,000 Galleons

Property Taxes: 782,000 (Due in December of each year)

Wesmere Cottage: Puddlemere, England

Estimated Worth: 1,872,500 Galleons

Inheritance Tax: 561,750 Galleons

Property Taxes: 187,250 (Due in December of each year)

 **Vaults:**

Lestrange Vault #64: 70,000,000 Galleons

Lestrange Vault #65: 50,000,000 Galleons

Lestrange Vault #66: 35,000,000 Galleons

 **Loaned Assets:**

Lestrange Vault #270: 30,260,427 Galleons, 20,9707 Sickles

"You now have full control of vaults number 64, 65, and 66 in Lestrange Vault Hall level 2. Vault #65 comes with cheques, as the vault serves as an expense account for the Lestrange heir. Of course, the money in the vaults is subject to inheritance taxes, but the money will be paid from the main Lestrange Vault," Magnok said. He took out a small box and passed it to Rigel.

Rigel took the box, full of checks and passed the summary of his estate to Bingo, who dutifully stored them. The checks were simple pieces of parchment with the Gringotts crests on the top left and the Lestrange crest on the top right corner.

"All that remains is to sign the documents and accept your new estate," Magnok said. He passed the contract to Rigel. Then, Magnok produced a ceremonial globin forged dagger.

Rigel picked up the documents, scanning them. He wasn't surprised to see his parent's signatures at the bottom of the parchment. Lucius must have gotten them before the business at the Ministry. The goblins liked to flaunt their independence from the Ministry in various ways, including keeping Azkaban prisoners' accounts open despite pressure from the Ministry to vacate them. Once a vault was opened at Gringotts, the vault remained open until the bloodline died out, Azkaban or not.

Rigel stared at his parents' signatures for a moment before signing his name. Then, he pricked his finger and let a drop of blood land next to his signature. The parchment glowed gold before fading back to normal. The goblin reached forward and took the documents to file them.

"Would you like to see your vaults now?" Magnok asked.

"Yes," Rigel said. He'd never been down to any of the Lestrange vaults, there'd never been a need to since the Malfoys had always provided everything for him. He wanted to see what his inheritance was at the moment.

Magnok nodded and retrieved a small bag from his desk before standing. He led Rigel out of the office into the waiting room where the bloodtraitors and Mudbloods were still waiting. Rigel ignored at them as he and Magnok passed them on their way to the double doors at the far end of the waiting room.

Behind the door, Rigel, Bingo, and Magnok climbed into the cart that would take them down to the Lestrange Vault Hall. Rigel knew from that like many ancient families, the Lestranges had several vaults that were built together and in the case of his family, with multiple levels of connected vaults.

The cart made an abrupt turn, pulling Rigel out of his thoughts. The ride to the Lestrange Vaults was long and full of turns. An ancient noble family, the Lestrange's vault was a long way down from the surface.

Finally, the cart reached its destination. He got out and followed the goblin into the dark cave like opening. The goblin pulled out something out of his bag and began to shake it. A roar from deeper in the opening drowning out the loud clanking sound from the goblin's metal. Rigel looked and froze at the sight of the great beast shrinking away. It was a dragon.

The goblin, still shaking the metal objects, led him past the large open chamber with the dragon cowering in the corner and through a small passageway. The rocky ground and cave walls gave way to smooth marble flooring and walls of stone. The passageway led into an oval chamber. There was a two spiral staircases in the middle, one leading up and the other leading down. The staircases were covered in strange looking fog, no doubt put there to keep anyone from trying to enter vaults they weren't meant to have access to. There were three sets of double doors there, one at back wall and on either side. Each set of doors had number carved into them.

"Which vault would you like to see?" Magnok asked.

"64," Rigel said.

He knew that 65 and 66 contained only money, but 64 had jewelry, books, weapons, and all sorts of treasure along with money. Magnok nodded and led him around the spiral staircases, towards the double doors at the end of the hall. He pressed his hand against the door and a small stone basin pushed out from the doors. Magnok motioned for Rigel to step forward. Inside the basin lay a jeweled dagger and Rigel used it to make a cut on his thumb. He let a few drops of blood land in the basin and watched as the doors glowed gold before sliding out to reveal a large cave like opening. The goblin touched something and torches flared up inside the vault.

The room was wide and long. Two tall mountains of gold coins lay on either side with a pathway in the middle. Rigel stepped forward, into the pathway. Behind the piles of gold was a small clearing of sorts. The back wall was covered in weapons, swords, axes, maces spears, whips, and a bow next to a quiver of silver tipped arrows. The left wall was covered by a long bookshelf filled with thick tomes bound in animal hide with an old armchair next to it. An antique desk sat in the corner. The desk was covered in books and scrolls. To his right lay several open chests full of jewelry. Rings, necklaces, bracelets, lockets, and even a couple of tiaras covered in rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls. In the middle of the chests, was a table with a small chest in the middle and a ceremonial dagger on the right. Rigel opened the chest to find two rings. Closer examination found that both had the Lestrange crest reversed.

The rings were meant to be worn by the Lestrange heir and his bride, if he had one. Rigel picked up the heir's ring and the dagger. He knew from his reading what he needed to do. He pricked his thumb with the dagger and let the drops of blood fall upon the ring. The ring and the dagger both glowed gold for a moment before returning to their natural state. The deed done, Rigel slid the ring onto his left hand. He felt the ring's inner mechanism extend and slide into his finger to ensure he was truly the Lestrange Heir. Then, the ring glowed again and the spike receded.

The ring was old and he could feel the slight change in his magic. Enchanted with ancient charms, the ring would allow him full control of the properties he'd inherited, though he would have to visit them to ensure the wards in place responded to him. The ring also carried some minor protective enchantments, including protection from minor hexes and jinxes.

Next, Rigel moved to the desk full of books. One of the titles caught his attention. _Weather Working_ read the title, the book showed a wizard controlling a tornado on the cover. Rigel flipped through several books, _Medieval Hexes and Jinxes_ , _Practical Healing Spells_ , _A Tactical Approach to Duels_ , and _Advanced Ancient Runes_.

"Bingo," Rigel said as he examined _Weather Working_.

"Yes, Master," said the elf as he trotted forward to stand next to his master.

"Takes these books to my room," Rigel said.

"Of course, Master," said Bingo. The elf reached out and took the heavy books into his arms. He staggered slightly under their weight but regained control before disappearing.

Satisfied with the vault and its contents, Rigel turned back. Magnok was waiting for him at the entrance. After Rigel stepped through the entrance, the goblin began to seal the door again before leading Rigel to the cart.

* * *

By the time Lupin arrived, Hermione and the others had been waiting for a long time. Lestrange had long ago left after his meeting with the goblins and a couple of other wizards had arrived, waited, and been had meetings while they waited.

"I'm very sorry," Lupin said. "There was trouble."

That prompted a barrage of questions. Lupin raised his hand to calm them down as the door to an office opened. An old goblin was coming towards them.

"I'll explain later," Lupin said.

"I am Gernik, Senior Manager in charge of the Black Accounts. Follow me this way," the goblin said.

Everyone stood and followed him into a large conference room that was big enough to seat everyone except for Hagrid, who stood off to the side. Gernik was joined by four other goblins he introduced as Bilnarg, Safnik, Fignark, and Nagork. The two goblins took their seats and pulled out several documents.

"Before we begin, you must know that it is Gringotts policy that only blood relations can inherit vaults," Gernik said. "In addition, any properties or money left to you by Mister Black is subject to an inheritance tax."

Everyone nodded, accepting his words. Hermione wondered why that was. Where the vaults bound to certain families like house-elves? Or was it simply a tradition of the bank? What would happen if a bloodline died out? Would their vault be closed forever or was it possible another family could take the vault? Gernik speaking interrupted Hermione's thoughts.

"Now then, Mister Black was unable to leave a Pensieve memory, but he did leave a record of his will. Are there any questions before be begin?" Gernik asked.

Nobody said anything and the goblins set up the record player on his desk. A moment later, Sirius' voice filled the room. Hermione spared a glance at Harry, whose eyes started tearing as his godfather's voice rang out.

" _I, Sirius Orion Black III of 12 Grimmauld Place, London, England, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, and not acting under duress, menace, fraud or the undue influence of any person, potion, or spell, do make, publish and declare this my Last Will and Testament._

 _Article I_

 _I hereby revoke any and all former Wills and Codicils thereto made by me and declare this my Last Will and Testament. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand this the sixth day of July, 1995._

 _Article II._

 _I hereby declare that my family consists of my cousin, Andromeda Tonks née Black, her husband Theodore Tonks, their daughter and my niece, Nymphadora Tonks, and my godson, Harry James Potter._

 _Article IV._

 _I hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint the goblin Kagnork, Senior Manager at Gringotts Wizarding Bank as Executor of my estate._

 _Article III._

 _I give, devise, and bequeath:_

 _To Rubeus Hagrid, I bequeath my motorcycle, my hippogriff, and 17,500 Galleons, for your care of my motorcycle and most of all you love of Harry._

 _To Molly and Arthur Weasley, I bequeath 150,000 Galleons._

"Oh, goodness!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. Ron, Fred, and George all cried out in surprise. Hermione smiled at the look on Mr. Weasleys face. It was the look of a man who had just been saved. That money would allow him to pay for Ron and Ginny's school fee and supplies, the Burrow's property tax, and provide the Weasleys with some long term security, if they managed it properly.

"Can you believe it?" Fred shouted.

"As I was saying," Gernik said. The Weasleys nodded and Gernik set the record player again.

" _To Molly and Arthur Weasley, I bequeath 150,000 Galleons for caring for Harry while I could not and helping him find his way in the Wizarding world._

 _To Fred and George Weasley, I bequeath 20,000 Galleons, for brining laughter back into my life._

 _To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I bequeath 10,000 Galleons, for reminding me of the bonds of friendship._

 _To Hermione Jean Granger, I bequeath the 500,000 Galleons. You truly are the brightest witch of your age, Hermione. The old Purebloods will try to push you out, but I know you're strong enough to withstand anything they throw at you. Take the money and prove to them that blood doesn't matter._

 _To Nymphadora Tonks, I bequeath 5 million Galleons. You're a great Auror, Tonks. Know that I'm proud to call you family._

 _To Remus John Lupin, I bequeath Wesmere Cottage and 25 million Galleons. Don't protest Moony, it's the least I could do after all you've done for me. This way nothing the Ministry can do will leave you without a home._

 _To Harry James Potter, I bequeath 12 Grimmauld Place, Kinsgate Court, Anfell House, the house-elf, Kreacher, and 120,000,000 Galleons. I know Grimmauld Place isn't very friendly but it's well protected and the only place we got to spend any time together. Be strong, Harry. You've got a long way to go and I am sorry I won't be there to see you achieve everything you were meant to._

 _To Andromeda Tonks née Black, I bequeath Black Manor, Hunsover House, Harlworth Manor, Castle Dagen, the Black Family jewelry, the antiques in the Black vaults, and the remainder of my estate. My favorite cousin, the only family that ever gave a damn about me, take it all. I know you don't care for the family jewelry or the antiques and certainly not the manors, but you deserve something for having survived the family. And you can't let Bellatrix have it._

 _Article V._

 _In accordance with Gringotts Wizarding Banks, I bequeath ownership of the vaults numbered 104, 105, 106, 237, 352, 475, 695, and 718 to Andromeda Tonks and 726 to Nyhhphadora Tonks, to pass to them and their descendants._

 _Article VI._

 _I further declare that if there exists no surviving beneficiaries or contingent beneficiaries as named above at the time of my death, my estate shall pass to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries._

 _Sirius Black III,_

Nearly everyone exploded in exclamations then. Tonks was speaking with her mother and Harry was watching the Weasleys celebrate, tears slowly trailing down his face. The Weasleys were rejoicing, though Hermione had noticed Ron's frown when Sirius mentioned her share and he seemed even more subdued when the record finished. Gernik cleared his throat loudly, drawing everyone's attention.

"I would like to explain that it is within your rights to decline, should you wish to do so," Gernik said. When nobody spoke up, he continued. "As I mentioned before I began, properties and money are subject to Ministry taxes. As only Madam and Miss Tonks were blood relative of Mr. Black, the rest of you must pay a tax of 40% of your inheritance. It also means 40% of the estimated value of the properties. If you would like to contest the estimated worth of the property, you are welcome to do so, but beware the properties would be inspected by Gringotts and the Ministry."

"Now then, Bilnarg, Safnik, Fignark, and Nagork are here to help sort this all out. Madam and Miss Tonks, if you would be so kind as to follow me," Gernik said. He stood up and led Andromeda and Tonks out of the conference room.

"To the waiting room please," Safnik said. Everyone stood up and headed back to the waiting room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and children, with me," Bilnarg said. The Weasleys stood up and followed the goblin toward his office.

"Mr. Hagrid, with me," said Safnik. The half-giant smiled at Harry and Hermione before following the goblin out.

"Mr. Potter, follow me if you please," Fignark said. Harry smiled at Hermione and Lupin and followed the goblin to his office.

"Now, which one of you would like to go first?" Nagork asked.

"Hermione, you should go," Lupin said. He looked tired and sadder than Hermione had ever seen him. She nodded and turned to the young goblin.

"Miss Granger, this way please," Nagork said.

Hermione followed the young goblin to his office. It was small and his nameplate said Junior Manager. She wasn't surprised, she didn't have a vault deep under Gringotts.

"Miss Granger, I see you have a vault at Gringotts, #1537, opened last year," Nagork said. "Now then, the money left to you by Mr. Black will be transferred to your vault unless you would like to open another vault. If you would like, Gringotts will deal with the taxes on your behalf. Here, this is a summary of the transaction."

Hermione looked at the parchment. Sirius had left her 500,000 Galleons. A tax of 40% meant 200,000 Galleons, leaving her with 300,000 Galleons. Before, Hermione had a little more than 200 Galleons in her vault, money from her parents to purchase her school supplies for the next year. Now she had enough for the rest of her school days and even look into a post-Hogwarts home for her.

"All right, then, that's fine, pay the taxes and I don't need another vault," Hermione said.

"Very good then," Nagork said. "Now then, "Would you like to visit your vault to withdraw money?"

"No, it's fine, I don't need anything."

"All right then, we're done." Nagork said. Hermione nodded and stood up when he called out. "A reminder Miss Granger, if you should need money from your vault while at school, Gringotts offers high security owl service to send you the money you desire within reason. You need only visit the Hogwarts lesion office in Hogsmeade."

"I'll remember that, thank you Nagork," Hermione said.

The goblin's startled look was enough to make her smile as she reached the waiting room. Tonks and Andromeda were still speaking with Gernik and Lupin was gone so she was left alone. She took out her book and waited for the others to finish their business.

The Weasleys were out next, looking a little less enthusiastic than they'd been before, but Mr. Weasley was happier than Hermione had seen him recently. Sirius' money had probably saved the family.

"Can you believe it, 10,000 Galleons for me?" Ron said, grinning. "I mean, Mum made me put it in my vault, which I can't use until I'm of age, and it was less after the taxes, only 6,000, but can you believe it? I can finally get some new robes, Mum promised to let me use some of it when we come back for our school supplies, you know after the Hogwarts letters arrive, but I'm gonna get new robes and books and Ginny too!

"That's great Ron," Hermione said. Ron had gotten taller and he'd always wanted new robes. He'd felt embarrassed at first when he saw that she and Harry could afford new robes when they wanted.

"This year's gonna be great! I can feel it already!" Ron exclaimed.

* * *

 **I hated how Sirius' death was handled in terms of his estate and him leaving it all to Harry. Plus, in no way would Bellatrix be able to inherit after killing him. Narcissa and Rigel and others yes, but not Bellatrix. Hopefully you guys liked it. Let me know what you think.**


	3. Hogwarts Pt 1

**Thanks for the interest. Glad to see people like it. Warning there is a sex scene in this chapter, it's pretty obvious that it's going to happen so if you're not into that, than it's easy to scroll down to the end of the scene to skip it.**

 **I didn't want to rehash the sixth book, but most of the stuff that has to with Harry, Hermione, and Ron still happened unless otherwise stated. The things about Draco will probably still happen in some way with Rigel or they may be changed completely.**

 **Finally, I apologize for the skipping around and close pagebreaks to separate POVs or short scenes. As we go further into the stories, the scenes will get longer and chapters will be less choppy for it.**

* * *

- _Excerpt from Pureblood Society of the 20th Century by Eugina Baddock née Warrington_

The Midsummer's Ball is the height of Pureblood society. Hosted every summer by family of great esteem, the Midsummer's Ball serves as an introduction to formal balls for many young witches and wizards preparing for their first year at Hogwarts and a first venture into adult society for recent graduates. A night unlike any other, the Midsummer's Ball is famed for its splendor and more than a fair bit of scandal. Each Ball is different, but all can be counted to include politics and talk of marriage alliances. Perhaps the most famous of recent memory was the Midsummer's Ball of 1965 when Cygnus and Druella Black signed marriage contracts for three daughters, Andromeda, Bellatrix, and Narcissa. The scandal that followed with Andromeda breaking the contract and running away to marry a Mudblood was the talk of Balls for years after.

The honor of hosting the Midsummer's Ball rotates among the purebloods of high esteem. It is considered an honor of the highest regard for to be chosen as the host once in the same decade, an honour that has happened only a few times in the Ball's long history. The Most recent family to be honor twice in the same decade were Nigellius Black V and his wife Alidora Black née Crouch who hosted the Ball three times over the course of their decades long marriage.

* * *

 **17 July 1996, Unknown Location,**

"Your arm," the Dark Lord ordered. Kneeling on the ground in front of the Dark Lord, Rigel pushed up the sleeve of his robes and stretched out his arm. The Dark Lord's hand was cold as ice and his grip strong.

"Rigel Lestrange, your family has long served me, been loyal were others were not. Now I grant you the highest honor, the Dark Mark."

The Dark Lord pressed the tip of his wand into Rigel's left forearm. Pain flared up from his arm and Rigel grunted, trying to hold back a scream. After several excruciating moments, the Dark Lord released his arm. Rigel held his aching arm, panting from the pain that still flowed from it. He looked down at the newly minted Dark Mark. The Mark itself was jet black and the area around it red.

"Rigel Lestrange, your parents are my most loyal and devoted servants. That loyalty has saved you, earning mercy where others would receive only scorn. Now, I have a special task for you," the Dark Lord hissed.

Kneeling before the Dark Lord, Rigel waited for his task. He had never been given a mission. He suppressed a shiver, trying to calm down as he panicked. His family's status with the Dark Lord was precarious but if he succeeded in his task, he could regain their master's favor, and he would do it. Whatever the task, Rigel would do anything to accomplish it and restore his family to their rightful place of honor. He didn't have a choice, he had to succeed.

"For too long now, Dumbledore has interfered with my plans, hiding inside Hogwarts and plotting to bring me down…I want you…to kill Dumbledore."

Rigel froze, feeling as if the air had been knocked out of him. Dumbledore was the second greatest wizard alive behind the Dark Lord. Dumbledore who defeated Grindelwald in what is considered the greatest duel to ever happen. Dumbledore who had decades of experience and knowledge that Rigel could never hope to overcome any time soon, if ever.

"Do you accept?" it was phrased as a question, but Rigel knew he had no choice.

"Yes my lord. It will be my honor to eliminate him for you," Rigel said.

"No one must know, you must do this alone," the Dark Lord said. "You're dismissed."

The Dark Lord disappeared, leaving Rigel alone in empty field. He had no idea what to do. The Dark Lord expected him to murder Dumbledore.

* * *

 **21 July 1996, Alnsworth Hall,**

Rigel followed Narcissa and Draco out of the floo room in the Parkinson home and handed his coat to one of the house-elves that stood by. Norbert and Elnora Parkinson, the hosts' for this year's ball, greeted them in the entrance hall. After the pleasantries were exchanged, Rigel entered the ballroom while Narcissa mingled and Draco searched out Pansy. Most of the guests had already arrived and Rigel made his way to his table. He took his seat and let his gaze wander around the room.

Every respectable Pureblood was to attend the ball and he could see many familiar faces. He saw Daphne's older brother, Darian with his pregnant wife, Violetta Flint, one of Marcus Flint's three older sisters. Not far from Darian stood Astor and Melania Greengrass, Daphne and Darian's great-grandparents. Rigel stood and headed to greet them. They were family. After all, he and Daphne were 3rd cousins.

"Mister Greengrass, Madam" he greeted, bowing his head in respect. Astor and Melania both smiled at him.

"Ah, Rigel, my boy, good to see you," said Astor. At 107 years-old, Astor retained both his hair and his charming personality. His smile was wide and friendly, not at all like the other stuffy older wizards around. For a man from another century entirely, Greengrass was certainly progressive.

"It's been quite a while since we last saw you," said Melania. She looked at him like the family matron she was, surveying his worth and potential to advance her family's interest. Rigel smiled amicably at them, paying them the respect they deserved as elders and as family, distant though they were.

"I have been remiss not to visit, but I have been rather busy," Rigel said.

"Of course, so much to do in this world," said Melania.

"Especially for a boy of your standing. Ah, yes, I remember those days, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day," Astor said with a chuckle. Rigel almost protested being called a boy, but a man of Astor' age would always see him as a boy.

"Well, then, don't let us keep you my boy. Go, mingle, oh and be a dear and take care of our Daphne, won't you?" Astor asked a sharp look in his eyes. For all that the Greengrass seemed like a foolish old man, he was still the sharp witted wizard that had once been thought as a future Minister of Magic before he retired from politics and settled for a seat on the Wizengamot.

"I will, sir," Rigel said.

"Good," Astor said.

They bowed to each other and went their separate ways. Rigel was almost back to his table when Haldan Bulstrode III spotted him. A short round man, Haldan was something like a 1st cousin thrice removed on the Lestrange side of the family, it involved various marriages, including one between Lestrange cousins.

"Rigel, dear boy, you've gotten tall and handsome," Haldan said. He patted Rigel's shoulder and laughed loudly. His laughter attracted some attention, but nobody would consider asking a man of his status to keep quiet, even if he had already indulged in too much wine.

"Thank you, sir," Rigel said.

"Now, tell me, when will we hear of your engagement? Can't be long now, can it? It's been years in the making, has it not?" Haldan asked.

Rigel's smile froze in place. He didn't dare say no engagement was going to be announced any time soon, not when Haldan was distantly related to Daphne and might take offence.

"What's the matter? Is there something wrong? Oh, I know, I've spoiled your surprise!" Haldan laughed loudly again.

"Haldan, leave the poor boy alone."

Rigel looked to see Haldan's wife, Larissa nearby with other guests. He smiled warmly at her and bowed his head. How she had put up with Haldan for so many decades, he didn't know, she was a much more pleasant person.

"Ah, yes, I'll be off then, take care my boy," Haldan said before rushing off to rejoin his wife.

Rigel swallowed back his annoyance at being treated like a child and returned to his table. He didn't have to wait long for the others to arrive.

"Where's Daphne?" Pansy asked as she and Draco made their way over. The two looked quite nice together, Pansy in her elegant green gown and Draco in his finest robes. The picture was ruined by the sour look on Draco's face. His cousin looked to be sulking despite the smile Pansy directing his way.

"Haven't the foggiest," Rigel answered, smiling at Pansy. She was an annoying girl, one he knew Draco had no interest in marrying, but her uncle was a respected Death Eater and doted on his niece. Draco would have a hard time dealing with him if he ever sought a contract with anyone but Pansy, once he was out of Azkaban of course.

"She hasn't arrived?" Draco asked. The ballroom was still filing with guest, with Madam Parkinson was still at the door greeting guests.

"I thought I saw Astoria around earlier," Pansy said. "Oh there she's Daphne."

Rigel turned and watched Daphne approach. She looked stunning, with her blond hair falling in perfect curls around her shoulders and a beautiful strapless silver gown that clung to her body and showed enough cleavage to be distracting while remaining proper.

"Daphne, you look radiant," he said as he stepped forward. Daphne held out her hand and he bowed to kiss it, though he kept his eyes looked with hers. He heard the click of a camera and saw the accompanying flash, no doubt they'd cut quite the picture. It'd be in the paper tomorrow and probably fuel the rumors of an impending contract but he didn't care.

"You look very handsome," she replied as he straightened out.

The rest of their table arrived then, two couples with signed contracts, making it clear what was expected of him and Draco. The young Malfoy was polite in the greetings but it was obvious he was in a bad mood. Rigel considered taking him aside to speak with him, remind him that he has a reputation to uphold as an upstanding Pureblood, one that he was ruining with that pouting look, but Madam Parkinson had finally finished greeting guests and took her seat.

With the host seated, everyone followed her example and soon the courses began. Despite his initial annoyance at the seating arrangement, he found that the courses passed without any trouble. Conversation was light and nobody seemed inclined to take things deeper. The final course finished, the Parkinsons took to the dance floor to lead the first dance.

"Would you do me the honor of this dance?" Rigel asked.

Daphne looked up and smiled, nodding her consent. She took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. They attracted more than their fair share of curious glances. He was sure they look the picture of young, Pureblood society.

"You haven't been to see me in a long time," Daphne said as she leaned her head into his shoulder.

"I've been busy," he said.

"My parents are worried, you know. My father, he doesn't like you, not really. He doesn't like that we've not announced any sort of courtship in all the years we've known each other and especially given that we've been _seeing_ each other for the past few months," Daphne paused. "You're not interested in a marriage contract, are you?"

Her distaste for the thought was obvious and he smiled. Their arrangement was purely physical and he was grateful for her lack of interest in a marriage contract.

"No, not for a long time."

"Good, you know they never allow for engagements longer than a year, and of course once the marriage happens, the pressure's on to have kids," Daphne said. "Merlin knows I hate kids, annoying little brats they are."

"I'm sure you parents are delighted by your enthusiasm."

"I have enthusiasm for other things," Daphne said. She leaned in, looking up at him through her lashes, smiling. The song finished and Daphne took his arm, leading him away from the dance floor. He snagged two drinks from one of the various floating trays and handed one to her.

"Have you discussed marriage contracts with your family?" Daphne asked.

"Narcissa's brought the topic up, but she's not interested in contracts right now," he replied. Pureblood tradition dictated that the parents seek out contracts for their children, usually before they left Hogwarts, but recent decades had pushed the acceptable date for contracts into the first few years after school. It was not unheard of for mothers with unmarried daughters to ask around for matches early, but few contracts were made while the bride or groom still attended Hogwarts. "I think they'll wait for me to bring it up."

"Must be nice," Daphne said. "My parents can't stop talking about it. As if, we weren't in the twentieth century. Not even out of Hogwarts yet and they're going on about marriage and heirs."

She took her drink, Firewhiskey, and downed it in one go, not at all very ladylike. He smiled and took her hand in his.

"Better make the best of the time we have no then," he said. Daphne smirked at him and began tracing her finger across his wrist.

"I suppose you have something in mind?

"Well, for one thing, we could do with getting away."

"We can't leave, not without being noticed," Daphne said.

"I have a solution for that. Meet me on the terrace in 5 minutes."

Daphne raised her eyebrows skeptically but agreed and they parted ways. When he reached the terrace, he found it nearly empty except for some young Slytherins sneaking some Firewhiky. It was probably their first ball, judging from their expressions it wasn't what they'd imagined. In years past, the Midsummer's Ball was the event of the year, unless there was a particularly extravagant wedding, this year the Ball is full of politicking instead of dancing. There is no laughter tonight. These young boys were clearly disappointed by the ball.

It felt strange to call them young boys when he was not yet twenty and still growing but he was man grown compared to them. The little snakes fled from his glare, racing inside in an undignified scramble. They attracted a lot of attention but the glare Rigel turned on them kept anyone from coming out or asking questions. Daphne joined him a few minutes later. He took her hand and led her into the shadows after casting a quick impervious charm on her dress, lest it be ruined in the garden.

The terrace behind the ballroom was small, but led into the gardens, from which it was a short walk to the library terrace, if only one knew how to get there. Rigel knew the path from Draco, who had visited the Parkinson home many times. During the ball, most of the house was sealed away, but there were ways around that. Rigel led Daphne through the garden and onto the library terrace.

"It's locked."

Rigel proved her wrong by opening the door to the library. It wasn't very big, nothing compared to the ones at Lestrange Manor or Malfoy Manor which bordered on extravagant, but sufficient for a private home.

"The thing is, the Parkinsons sealed off most areas of the house, but only from inside. It didn't occur to them that someone would enter from the terrace," he explained. A quick flick of his wand and the fire flared up, casting part of the room in light and creating large shadows.

Daphne smiled and led him to the sofa in front of the fireplace. They sat next to the other, knees touching as they turned to each other. Rigel pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers. He pushed forward, one hand caught in her hair and the other on her waist. Daphne responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, her hands slipping into his hair. Her nails scrapped along his scalp as they kissed.

Rigel turned his head and began making his way down. Kissing, sucking, and biting along her neck hard enough to leave bruises. Daphne moaned, tugging at his hair and tilting her neck to give him better access. He shifted, pushing Daphne on her back and laying atop her. His hand went up, pushing her dress away from her shoulders, exposing her breasts. He dropped his head, latching onto a nipple and rubbing his numb along the other. Daphne groaned and arched into his touch. Her hands slid down his chest and grabbed him through is robes. He gasped and groaned into her chest.

Daphne started pulling on his robes, tugging them up. He pulled away and drew the robes over his head before laying back down on top of Daphne. In true Pureblood style, he wore nothing but his underpants under his robes. Rigel grasped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples as he sucked on her neck. Daphne arched up, her hips rocking against him. He pulled back and Daphne scooted up, pressing back against the armrest. He took the chance to push her dress up.

The dress had lots of layers but he pushed it up, bunching it at her waist so she was practically naked, a flick of his wand took care of that. He spread her legs, sliding a hand up her inner thigh, stroking lightly. Daphne moaned when he rubbed his thumb around her entrance. She was already wet with desire.

"Don't tease," Daphne gasped out.

Rigel smirked at her and slowly slid two fingers inside. Daphne moaned and bucked her hips in rhythm with his fingers. She lifted her hips, arching into his tough and grasping at the sofa. Her eyes were shut tightly and she was panting quietly. She was never been loud in bed, not much talking, just moans and gasps for breath, no screaming even the height of an orgasm.

Rigel pulled way, slipping off the sofa. Daphne followed his lead, swinging her legs over the edge. He fell to his knees and kissed his way up her thigh. Her hands fell to his head, tangling in his hair. Rigel licked her slowly, drawing a long breathy moan from Daphne. He kept going, alternating between licking and sucking, changing the pace and the force. Daphne moaned and squirmed, tugging on his hair after every hard lick. She moaned and bucked beneath him. Rigel placed his hands on her hips, steadying her. He smiled and sped up.

"Oh, fuck," Daphne cried out. Her back arched, her muscles clenched, and he felt the tremor that went through her.

He gave one last lick and pulled away, dragging her hands out of his hair. Daphne, slumped against the sofa, was panting heavily. Rigel stood up, cast the contraceptive charm on himself, and pushed pants down past his knees.

Daphne, having recovered, sat up and pulled him down, nipping at his neck. Rigel reached between them and took a hold of his cock, lining it up to her entrance. He rubbed the tip against her and thrust inside. Daphne moaned, wrapping her legs around him. Rigel stayed still for a moment, savoring the feeling of her warmth around him. He pulled out slowly, leaving only the head inside before thrusting back.

Rigel kept going, thrusting into Daphne with increasing strength and speed. Daphne was moaning beneath him, her eyes shut tightly. Rigel groaned as he thrust inside of her, feeling the pleasure building. He was close. He shifted slightly, pulling back enough to see his cock going into her. He reached down, rubbing his thumb against Daphne's clit.

Daphne gasped, her inner muscles clenching tightly as she came. Rigel groaned as her nails dug into his shoulder. He removed his hand and sped up his thrusts as Daphne trembled beneath him. On his third thrust, he cried out, spots blurring his vision as he spilled into her. Rigel slumped, resting his head against Daphne's shoulder, feeling the sleepiness settling in. They were both panting quickly, recovering from their climaxes.

After a few moments, Rigel pulled away. He leaned down to where his wand lay atop a pile of clothes. A quick flick disappeared the mess and he laid down again. He smiled at Daphne who returned it and kissed him slowly. When she pulled away, her hand reached for his arm, sliding her hand along the Dark Mark.

"Did it hurt?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered.

"What's it like?"

"You know I can't tell you about it," Rigel said. Everyone knew how important secrecy was among the Death Eaters.

* * *

 **1 August 1996, Malfoy Manor**

"Your Hogwarts letter has arrived," Narcisssa said as she entered Rigel's room. She handed him the envelope. It felt heavier than usual. Under Narcissa's watchful eye, he opened it. Putting aside his Quidditch Captain and Prefect badges, Rigel grabbed the booklist and found two letters beneath it. Reading the heading of the first letter, Rigel froze. He dropped the letter and picked up the badges. It wasn't a Prefect's badge.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked. Draco entered the room and leaned against the doorframe.

"I made Headboy," Rigel said. He stared at the Headboy badge in his hand. How was that possible? Slytherins rarely made Headboy or girl.

"What?" they asked.

He looked up at Draco and Narcissa, holding up his Headboy badge. "I guess there wasn't anyone from the other houses that was good enough."

"Nonsense, that's the only good decision Dumbledore's made in years. You are more than worthy of being Headboy," Narcissa stated.

Rigel picked up the first letter and read. It talked about a schedule for patrolling duties for the Prefects. Everyone was partnered up with someone from another year and house. "Seems security at Hogwarts has changed," he said. "The Headboy, girl, and all the prefects will be patrolling the castle each night, while Aurors patrol the grounds. Everyone has a partner."

Draco snatched the second letter out of Rigel's hand and began reading. "Who do I have?" he asked.

"You're the one holding the chart," Rigel mumbled as Draco scanned for his name.

"Loony Lovegood!" Draco shouted. Rigel laughed for the first time in weeks. He could imagine it now, Draco scowling as the crazy Ravenclaw girl babbled on about strange creatures.

"Who is that?" Narcissa asked.

Draco seemed frozen in shock, so Rigel answered, "Luna Lovegood. Her father is the editor of the _Quibbler_. She's mental, making up all kinds of creatures. Everyone calls her Loony Lovegood. She's in Ravenclaw, a fifth year, I think."

"Oh. Draco, darling, it could be worst. At least she's a Ravenclaw; she might not be so bad after all. The hat doesn't make mistakes, you know," said Narcissa.

"At least she's a Pureblood," said Draco. He smirked at Rigel, "Your partner is that snotty little Mudblood, Granger."

Rigel frowned and took the chart from Draco. The chart had the rounds schedule for each week. Everyone had a partner from a different year and house. Together they would patrol a specific part of the castle for two hours, at least twice a week. He and Granger were unlucky enough to have three days, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

"That's Mudblood that hangs around Potter?" Narcissa asked, her lips curling in distaste.

"Just my luck to have her," Rigel said, glaring at the chart. Still a few hours with the Mudblood were a small price to pay for nearly unlimited access to the castle.

* * *

 **3 August 1996, Diagon Alley**

Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry, Ron, and Ginny argued about Quidditch and the new broom, the Firebolt II, that had been released. Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley had secured the a deal with the makers of Firebolt to release it one week earlier in Diagon Alley while other stores were forced to wait until the next weekend. With the release of the new broom, Diagon Alley had regained some of its luster. Quality Quidditch Supplies was overflowing with people. They crowded around the windows, looking at the model on display, and stood in line to get inside the store.

"How much do you think it cost?" Ron asked as they passed by the store. "You reckon you'll buy it Harry?"

"Ron, you read the article about the price, it would take nearly all my money," Harry said. He was trying to jump and see over the heads of the people that blocked the window they were walking by.

"Oh, right," Ron said sheepishly. The money Sirius had left Harry was being stored in his family vault and he wouldn't be able to access it until he came of age the following summer. As much money (some 160,000 Galleons) as Harry had in his own vault, the broom cost too much. Hermione had heard them talking about it earlier, the Firebolt II cost 134,131 Galleons.

"Mum can we go inside?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I don't know we have so much stuff to pick up," Mrs. Weasley said. They'd only gotten their robes after their encounter with Malfoy, Lestrange, and Narcissa.

"Please mum!" Ron begged.

"You three can go. I have to get my potion ingredients for this year," Hermione said. Since neither Harry nor Ron had received an O in Potions, they wouldn't be taking the class.

"I'll go with 'em and ye can take Hermione," Hagrid suggested.

"Oh, alright, you three go ahead, Hermione and I will go to get your books and the potion ingredients," Mrs. Weasley said.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny cheered as they headed for Quality Quidditch Supplies, Hagrid trailing after them. Hermione, Mrs. Weasley and the remaining Auror made their way towards Flourish & Blotts. With the money Sirius had left them, Mrs. Weasley was buying brand new books for Ron and Ginny for the first time.

After purchasing the necessary books, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley headed for the door. They found Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hagrid waiting for them. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were looking a bit dejected.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Malfoy and Lestrange both got a Firebolt II," Ginny said.

"Figures it'd be those pricks," Ron grumbled.

"Ronald, watch you're language!" Mrs. Weasley scolded.

"Sorry," Ron mumbled.

"At least it looked like they were only buying them for themselves and not their whole team," Harry said.

"Well, we still have to get Ginny and Hermione's potion ingredients, why don't you three get some ice cream, Hermione and I will meet you there," Mrs. Weasley.

Harry, Ron, and Ginny cheered and Hagrid followed them to the ice cream parlour. Hermione followed Mrs. Weasley to the apothecary. At the apothecary, Hermione waited until Mrs. Weasley was distracted picking up individual ingredients she needed at home before going to the counter. Mrs. Weasley had bought Ginny the standard potion kit, but with the money Sirius had left her, Hermione could spring for the expert ingredient kit that cost 288 Galleons. Hogwarts potions students are required to buy some basic ingredients that would be added to the school's stores to be used by all students. The school used its own funds to pay for the other ingredients, but the basics bought by the students were enough for several months. Hermione would give the basic ingredients to the school, but she was keeping the more expensive ones.

After a moment, Hermione realized that she could get her own ingredients to brew in her spare time. She ordered an advanced kit and began planning brewing her own potions. Snape was horrible but he did allow NEWT level students to brew their own potions on weekends, providing they had their own ingredients to use and proved capable of brewing without supervision. It required a teacher's permission, but Hermione was sure McGonagall would happily sign her permission slip.

After getting the entire necessary ingredient, they joined the others at the ice cream parlor. Ginny was looking angry while Harry and Ron were whispering heatedly at each other. When Hermione approached, Harry and Ron immediately took her aside while Mrs. Weasley greeted Ginny and Hagrid.

"Lestrange is a Death Eater," Harry said without preamble.

"What?"

"We saw Lestrange sneaking off to Knockturn Alley alone," Ron said. "We followed him and he went to Borgin and Burkes. He wanted to know how to fix something, but whatever it was it made Borgin nervous. He tried to skirt around saying no, but Lestrange wasn't having it."

"Lestrange showed Borgin something, something on his arm that scared Borgin and made him change his mind. Now, what could scare a man who sells Dark objects for a living? The Dark Mark, Lestrange has it and showed it to Borgin," Harry explained.

"You saw the Dark Mark?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ron said, glaring slightly at Harry. "He showed Borgin something, but we didn't see it. I don't think that he's Death Eater."

Harry started to argue but Mrs. Weasley approached and he kept quiet.

* * *

 **1 September 1996, Hogwarts Express**

After receiving hugs and tears from Narcissa, Draco and Rigel quickly boarded the Hogwarts Express. They had arrived early to avoid the crowds and they quickly found an empty compartment and claimed it. Despite the early hour, they changed into their school robes and sat in silence for a while before more students started arriving and the train filled with noise. Adrian Pucey arrived.

"Hey mate," Adrian greeted. He too was already in his robes, complete with a Prefect's badge. "If I hadn't already gotten my letter, I would have thought you were joking about the promotion. It looks nice on you." He nodded toward the Headboy badge pinned on his robes. "Who's the Headgirl?"

"Fawcett," Rigel answered.

"Ah, figures," Adrian said.

They spent the next minutes talking about what they'd done since the ball. Adrian explained that his parents wanted him to get serious about potential brides. The door opened and Daphne stepped in. She opened her mouth to say something then froze.

"You…you really did made Headboy!" she shouted. She marched forward and kissed Rigel's cheek. "I thought you were joking. I was so annoyed you were trying to prank me."

Before Daphne could say anything else, the door to the compartment opened, and Pansy Parkinson walked in. She instantly rushed to Draco's side and greeted him. The rest of them snickered as he tried to distance himself from her. They started talking again, with Adrian wanting to know Rigel's plans for the Quidditch team. Blaise Zabini was next to enter. He took his seat and the group changed topics to include him. Next to arrive where Crabbe and Goyle. The two idiots stepped in and took their seats. Checking the time, Rigel realized it was nearly time for the Prefects needed to go to their compartment.

"Well, I better get going," Rigel said. He stood up and Adrian, Daphne, Draco, and Pansy followed his example. "We've got a Prefect's meeting to attend."

The group of Prefects left their compartment and walked toward the front of the train, with Rigel and Daphne in the lead. They arrived at the Prefect's compartment, which was already full. Headgirl Victoria Fawcett stood in front. Rigel went to stand next to Fawcett. She glanced at him, gave a small nod of acknowledgement, and handed him a patrolling schedule. There was a pile of them nearby ready to be handed out. Rigel looked up and counted to make sure the rest of the Prefects had arrived. Satisfied that they were all there, Rigel leaned against the wall.

"Welcome everybody. I'm Headgirl Victoria Fawcett and this is Headboy Rigel Lestrange," Victoria said once the last of the Prefects had arrived.

Immediately the Prefects began whispering amongst themselves. Rigel could clearly see the shock on their faces, some even looked angry. His soon to be partner, Hermione Granger was clearly shocked, but he was glad she didn't look angry like her Weasley friends whose heads looked like they were going to explode. He didn't want to deal with having a partner who was out to get him.

"Everyone calm down," yelled Fawcett. "Due to the high alert levels, there are some changes. Fourth years and below will be expected to remain in their common room after 7:30, Fifth years and above will be allowed out of their common room until 9 pm."

She flicked her wand and send out copies of the patrolling schedule. "These are the rounds assignments. Everyone is partnered with someone outside their house and their year. Each group has designated area to patrol. There will be several groups of prefects on duty for the first two hours after curfew. After that, the professors will be on guard around the school. Teams of Aurors will be patrolling grounds all day and night."

"Everyone will patrol at least twice a week, some three times. If you have a valid reason you cannot accompany your partner during patrol, notify Professor McGonagall and your patrol will be switched with someone else's. You cannot skip patrol. If your partner fails to show up, you are to go to Professor McGonagall and report them. If you cannot provide a valid reason for failing to show, you will lose your badge," Rigel explained.

Around the compartment, the Prefects burst into conversation as they read the schedule. Most were complaining about their partners. Granger looked up and locked eyes with Rigel. Weasley drew her attention and she turned to him as he sputtered some nonsense about the partners. Rigel glanced down at the list. He was with Cho Chang and his sister with Ernie McMillan. Why was that bad?

"Alright, everyone shut it!" shouted Fawcett. "Partners will change every month. Until then, there will be no changing unless approved by Professor McGonagall. If you believe your reason is good enough, talk to Professor McGonagall about it. If there is a change in schedule, you will be notified in advance. Any relevant questions to what we've just announced?"

Nobody said anything.

"Good," Rigel said. "Filch will be checking all your belongings when we arrive and that will continue every time you leave and return to the castle grounds. Ministry officials will search mail going in or out. In addition to all of that, the staff and the Aurors reserve the right to go through you rooms if they have reason to suspect you."

"Now, for procedure: If you encounter a student in the halls past curfew, you are to deduct one point for every minute past curfew and escort them the nearest designated sleep room. There will be a staff member in there and the student will spend the rest of the night there. Is that understood?" Fawcett asked.

The Prefects seemed shocked, but it was a lot to take in. The rest of the meeting was spent going over list of new rules, most of them related to items allowed in school and security questions that would be used to identify staff and Aurors to make sure no one unwanted was getting into the school. Then Fawcett started a roll call of partners. Rigel stayed where he was and waited for Granger come to him. Fawcett moved away to her own partner to get the others to move along.

Granger studied him, her eyes lingering on the badges pinned to his robes. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. Granger quickly took a step back. He was at least half a foot taller than she was, and she had to look up at him, though she did so defiantly.

"All right then, everyone's partnered up, time to patrol!" Fawcett ordered.

Rigel and Granger did their patrolling in silence. They wouldn't have to see each other again until Tuesday, but he figured he could handle two hours with her three times a week. It wasn't like patrolling required them to talk to each other.

* * *

"Still a git isn't he?" Ron asked. "I can't believe Dumbledore made him Headboy. Wonder if he's got something on Dumbledore."

"Don't be ridiculous. Nobody would try to blackmail Dumbledore," Hermione said. "And he wasn't all that bad actually. He was decent, no insults."

"Well he can't say much, can he?" Ginny asked. "He'll have to deal with you for the next month."

"Think he's saving up for when you're alone? I've got a bad feeling about this partner thing. I mean poor Luna's stuck with Malfoy and you're with Lestrange. I wouldn't turn my back on him if I were you; never know what he's got up his sleeve," said Ron.

"Honestly Ronald, it wouldn't be smart to attack me when we're supposed to be patrolling. He'd be the first suspect. If he wanted to do something, I think he's smart enough to not make it obvious," said Hermione.

"That only makes him more dangerous," Ginny said.

"I don't think he's bad," Luna said. "He just had Wrackspurts floating around his head. They make your brain all fuzzy."

Nobody had anything to say after that and they returned to their compartment in silence.

"Harry you're not gonna believe who the Headboy is," Ron said as they took their seats.

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Lestrange," said Ron.

"What? Dumbledore made him Headboy?" Harry exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.

"I reckon he's lost his mid," Ron said.

"Clearly Dumbledore trusts him, I think that says a lot about him," said Hermione. She tried to tug Harry down, but he resisted, still spluttering about Lestrange being HeadBoy.

Before Harry could respond, a young girl stepped in.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom and Harry P-Potter," she faltered, as her eyes met Harry's and she turned scarlet. She was holding out two scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Perplexed, Harry and Neville took the scroll addressed to each of them and the girl stumbled back out of the compartment.

"What is it?" Ron demanded, as Harry unrolled his.

"An invitation," said Harry.

"Who's Professor Slughorn?" asked Neville, looking perplexedly at his own invitation.

"New teacher," said Harry. "Well, I suppose we'll have to go, won't we?"

As Harry and Neville left, Hermione pulled out a book and began to read. Ron and Ginny started talking Quidditch and Luna was reading the _Quibbler_.

* * *

By the end of the Welcoming Feast, Rigel wanted nothing more than to hit someone. If the other students continued to stare at him, he would lose it. His Headboy badge had attracted a lot of attention, though not enough to warrant a Slug Club invitation for him, a small surprise as he knew Bellatrix and Narcissa had been part of the Slug Club while at Hogwarts.

Finally, the students were dismissed. Rigel stood and waved off Draco and the others, he had to wait for Snape to take him to the Headboy room. The best perk of being Headboy was the private room, with its common room and bathroom away from the common room. As far as Rigel knew each house had a room for the Headboy and Headgirl near their common room, but they were still supposedly private.

Snape descended from the professor's table and walked towards Rigel. Both could feel the eyes of the remaining students on them. It had been a long time since Headboy or Headgirl had come from Slytherin. Snape reached Rigel and motion for him to follow without a word. They descended into the dungeons and toward the Slytherin Common Room. Halfway to the common room, Snape turned left and led Rigel into a corridor with few doors. They took a right and followed the corridor as it turned left into a dead end. The corridor had no doors, only paintings lining the walls. Most of the paintings were empty landscapes, though a few held witches and wizards dressed in ancient looking robes. They looked at him curiously as he passed, whispering amongst themselves. Rigel looked at the portraits and realized they were all former Slytherins.

Finally, they reached the end of the corridor and Rigel looked at the painting. It was empty, just a dark forest landscape with no people or animals. Rigel opened his mouth, but Snape held up a hand to quiet him.

"It's been a long time since it was occupied, but after tonight you won't have to wait as long," said Snape.

After a few moments, Rigel heard a hissing and watched as a snake slithered out from behind the trees. It was large and green, with black markings. The snake's eyes stared at them, it's head slowing bobbing before curling around the nearest tree and climbing up to the branch in the painting's foreground.

"You'll need to select a password," Snape said. "It'll be up to you to choose a new password every fortnight."

"Um… Quaffle," Rigel said, shrugging.

The snake hissed and bobbed from the branch before the painting swung open. Snape led him into a smaller version of the Slytherin Common Room. Black sofas and armchairs with green cushions near a fireplace and a small table for six behind it. The back wall was primarily made up of a large window that looked into the Black Lake. The left walls had an empty painting and a staircase going down. The right wall had a few paintings, most of them empty, and a staircase down.

"The left staircase leads down to your private room and bath; the right staircase leads to the Headgirl's room, since the current Headgirl is a Ravenclaw, the room is locked. Do not attempt to enter it," Snape said. "You are permitted to bring housemates into this common room, but you would be wise to keep the password to yourself."

"Of course, sir."

"There is another matter," Snape said. "Your mission-"

"The Dark Lord was clear, I must do it alone," Rigel interrupted. It was rather rude, but he was in no mood to discuss his task.

"It is in everyone's best interest that you succeed," Snape said. "If you should have need of me, do not hesitate."

Snape gave a tense nod and left the room. Rigel frowned. He wanted to accept Snape's help, but he couldn't do it. Bellatrix had been clear, don't trust Snape. He couldn't afford to get help from anyone, not if he wanted to regain the Dark Lord's favor.

* * *

 **3 September 1996, Hogwarts, Outside Great Hall,**

Hermione stood outside the Great Hall waiting for Lestrange to show up. The curfew bell had just rung and the hallways were already dimly light. She had her wand out and had her back to the wall so nobody could sneak up on her. She would admit she was slightly paranoid, but with how many people had gotten into Hogwarts with bad intentions, she figured it was slightly justified. Besides, for all she'd said to Ron, Harry, and Ginny about not being scared of Lestrange, she was nervous. She didn't think she could out duel him, especially if he knew Dark Magic.

"Granger."

Hermione turned left and nearly blasted Lestrange, but he grabbed her hand. She really needed to pay more attention to her surroundings if he could get that close without her noticing. She yanked her hand out of his grip and stepped back.

"Something worrying that bushy head of yours Granger?" he asked.

"We'll start in the dungeons," she said ignoring the jab at her appearance. She couldn't let him get to her. They were stuck dealing with each other for two hours three times during a week, it would be better if they could at least act civil.

Lestrange looked annoyed but walked with her to the dungeons. They walked in silence. She noticed he had his wand out in his left hand, and tighten her grip on her wand. Was he left-handed or trying so show he wasn't ready to attack? She'd never notice before if he used his right or left hand. They stared ahead, but she kept glancing at him and she felt him do the same. Neither of them trusted the other, though she had to wonder what he thought she'd do to him. She was one of the good guys and as long as he didn't attack her, she wouldn't attack him.

The silence stretched out as they walked around the dungeons. So far, they hadn't seen anyone, not that she was surprised. The dungeons were cold and damp, not to mention dimly light. The minutes passed and the silence began to wear on them both. Eventually their patrol ended and they headed back to the Great Hall doors. They reached the Great Hall doors where they met Professor McGonagall.

"Professor," they chorused.

"Your rounds are over, you'd best return to your rooms," McGonagall said.

They nodded and Lestrange turned back towards the dungeons without a word. Hermione watched him for a moment before heading toward the Gryffindor Common Room.

After passing through the Fat Lady's portrait, Hermione found Harry, Ron, and Ginny waiting for her. They were seated near the fireplace, talking quietly. They all looked up when she came in and Ron stood up to greet her.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"It was fine, he didn't do anything, we didn't even talk," Hermione said.

"That must of sucked, two hours of silence walking around in the dungeons," Ginny said.

"It could have gone worse," Hermione said.

"He didn't try anything?" Ron asked.

"What exactly did you expect?" Hermione replied. "Your acting like you thought he'd try to kill me or something."

"Who knows what goes on in his mind? His mum tortured Neville's parents until they were insane, he'd bound to be crazy," Ron said.

"I don't know if he's crazy like Bellatrix, but he's a Death Eaters like her," Harry said.

"You haven't any proof," Hermione said.

"Hermione, I know what I saw and I know he's a Death Eater!"

"Harry, calm down, you don't know that for sure," Hermione said.

Harry glared at them and stormed off. He was getting more and more frustrated with them for not believing him.

The next few weeks went by uneventfully. Hermione saw Lestrange only during their rounds and a few times during meals. They completed their rounds in complete silence every time. By the end of October, the round partners changed and Hermione was glad to be rid of Lestrange.

She received a notice from Gringotts informing her that the books Sirius had left her had been moved to her vault. Hermione wished it was still summer, but she knew that even then, she had to take precautions before looking through those books. She was sure Sirius had tried to remove dark books, but she couldn't be certain all the books would be harmless. Chances were some of those books were cursed should anyone but a Black touch them.

On the first Saturday of October, Hermione entered the Great Hall to find her friends absorbed in the _Daily Prophet_. When she sat down, Ginny handed her a copy of the paper. There had been a Death Eater attack on Muggles during a sporting event. By the time the Aurors had arrived, 50 Muggles were dead and more than 200 injured after the Death Eaters set fire to some buildings. The paper noted that when the first batch of Aurors arrived the Death Eaters attacked them vigorously, injuring four Aurors before the fleeing when the reinforcements arrived. The _Prophet_ made sure to mention that Bellatrix Lestrange had been leading the attack.

"Why'd you reckon they attacked?" Ron asked. "Seems kinda pointless, doesn't it? Attacking Muggles like that, so publically, they had to know that lots of Aurors would arrive, didn't they?"

"I think that might have been the point," Hermione said. At their confused expression, she continued. "They attacked a Muggle event and caused a lot of damage and panic all the while injuring four Aurors and showing that the Ministry has no idea what they're doing."

"Up until the end of last year, the Ministry didn't even believe Voldemort was back. What have the Death Eaters proved that we didn't know before?" Harry asked.

" _We_ know that the Ministry isn't very useful, most everyone else at least likes to think that if it came down to it the Ministry could do something. Showing that the Ministry is ineffective causes fear and panic among people. Don't you remember what everyone says about the First War? Voldemort had huge numbers and worse of all people feared him so much they were too scared to put up resistance. Attacking Muggles and showing the ineffectiveness of the Ministry helps him. The greater the panic and fear of him, the more people willing to stand aside rather than fight, less people willing to join the fight against him," Hermione explained.

Harry and Ron had no reply. They knew that several students had been taken out of school by their parents. It didn't help that for everything that went right, like the capture of several Death Eaters, the Death Eaters would attack and cause massive damage without any losses on their sides. It was maddening and while Hogwarts was a safe place, but Dumbledore was hardly around and as much as she loved books, Hermione had to admit they hadn't helped her at the Department of Mysteries. Hogwarts was preparing them to pass their N.E.W.T.s not to fight a war and Hermione didn't think it was going to change anytime soon.

"Look," Ginny said, nodding towards the entrance. Hermione looked towards the entrance to the Great Hall were Malfoy and Lestrange were entering with the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team. All of the Slytherin Quidditch players looked tired.

"They had practice _before_ breakfast?" Ron asked, incredulous.

"Reckon Lestrange's pushing them like Wood did us, huh Harry," Katie Bell said as she sat down. "They've only got two new players and they've trained more than we have."

"Yeah," Harry said. Harry had been scheduling Quidditch practice on days that Slughorn was holding meetings to avoid going, but he hadn't put much thought into their training sessions, certainly nothing like his former captain Oliver Wood. Hermione knew that while Harry was passionate about Quidditch, he was never much of a planner.

* * *

 **I debated about keeping the sex scene in but it's the first one I've written and I know I'll never be good at them if I never try. It might seem unnecessary but I wanted to keep it, even if only to see how it turned out so I can improve.**

 **Anyway, let me know how it turned out.**


	4. Hogwarts Pt 2

**Thanks for all the interest. Sorry this took so long but real life got in the way and delayed me.**

 **This chapter covers the end of the 1996-1997 school year and the event of the Astronomy Tower, and thus features a good chunk of the confrontation with Dumbledore from the books. I thought about changing it but that was one of the best chapters in the entire series so I just adjusted it slightly.**

 **This chapter's little worldbuilding extra is the first of several to mention Quidditch. It might seem a bit weird and out of place, but I always thought Rowling's dislike for sports in real life made Quidditch ridiculous in the books and largely irrelevant. As someone who watches a lot of sports, I loved Quidditch and wanted to model it after the Premier League. I spent a lot of time working out the kinks of Quidditch as Rowling presents it, ended up changing a lot of it, but I eventually got it to make sense and be a good competitive sport that the Wizarding world would enjoy.**

* * *

 _British & Irish Quidditch League 1996-1997 Year in Review_

By: Jack Walhorn, Senior Quidditch Correspondent for the Daily Prophet

Tutshill secured the title on the second to last week, winning back-to-back titles for the second time in the decade. The Holyhead Harpies gave them quite a chase but fell short in their last game of the season, losing 320-250 to the Tornadoes. The Tornadoes dominated most of the season with only one loss, falling 280-220 to Pudlemere in a hotly contested match that saw several skirmishes between players. With their manager and players under contract for several more years, Tornado fans can look forward to another brilliant campaign from their team.

Below the champions, last year's runner ups, Puddlemere United fell to 3rd place as the Holyhead Harpies swept their season series. The Harpies will no doubt mount a strong campaign for the title next year, but Puddlemere looks to be falling with no replacements lined up for several aging players. Look for Caerphilly and Portree to more up and over Puddlemere as both teams boast young talents that will only get better.

On the lower end of the table, the Chudley Cannons once again finished bottom of the table managing only three points off a victory against 12th place Falmouth Falcons. Montrose Magpies, last year's 4th place team, experienced the worst season in their history as they fell all the way to 11th place after losing several key players due to financial trouble. With a new owner in Lachlan McIntyre, the Magpies will look to rebound next year and compete for a mid-table finish. _Cont Pg 11_

* * *

 **19 October 1996, Hogwarts, Rigel's Common Room**

"What happened with Katie Bell, that was you, wasn't it?" Draco asked.

Rigel looked up sharply from his books. They'd returned to his common room after a short trip to Hogsmeade during which they'd seen what happened to the Gryffindor Chaser.

"What are you talking about?" Rigel asked. Draco wasn't supposed to know about his task, much less the trouble he was having with it.

"It was you wasn't it? You planned it but it didn't work," Draco replied.

Rigel stared at him, "Draco," he started, but he couldn't find the words to continue. Narcissa had shielded Draco from everything she could, he didn't know what it had been like. Draco's idea of the Death Eaters did not reflect what they were actually like. He saw them as an opportunity for power, for glory, he didn't see the danger their family was in, the pressure on Rigel to save them.

"The Dark Lord gave you a task, and you can't do it, can you? He chose you to follow in your father's footsteps, in my father's footsteps and you're screwing it up. They chose you and you can't do it," Draco stated bitterly.

That was the crux of it, Rigel realized, what Draco perceived as favoritism. Draco thought of him as a rival. He only saw Lucius choosing Rigel as his chosen successor among the Death Eaters. Draco thought that his father had passed him over for the honor of joining the Dark Lord's inner circle. He didn't know that if Lucius and Narcissa had their way neither of them would get the mark. He didn't know that Rigel had done his best to keep Draco away, to keep him safe.

Rigel wondered how long Draco had been holding back. Had he hoped to receive the Mark? Did he suspect of they had lost the Dark Lord's favor and thought he could regain it?

"You don't know what you're talking about," Rigel said. He didn't know what to say to his cousin. Only experiencing what Rigel had experienced as a Death Eater would show Draco how wrong he was.

"I know enough. You were given the Mark, the Dark Lord chose you, and you're ruining it. You're ruining our family."

It took everything he had to stop himself from reaching across and hitting Draco. He had done what he could to succeed as a Death Eater, to keep their family safe from the Dark Lord's wrath. Draco had no idea what he had done to ensure that their family never experienced the Dark Lord's rage like his mother had after the Department of Mysteries. He had no idea the pain his mother had to endure, the pain Rigel had endured for failing. Draco had no idea what Rigel was willing to do to keep their family in the Dark Lord's graces, he atrocities that he would have committed if it meant keep Narcissa and Draco safe.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"I know the Dark Lord is angry and you've been given a task, a task that could gain back his favor and you can't do it. You fucked up and my family will be the one to pay for it!" Draco shouted.

"I'm doing everything I can!" Rigel yelled back.

"It's not enough!" Draco scoffed and stood up. "I could do it, you know," he said. "I could be the Death Eater you can't be."

"You have no idea what that would mean!" Rigel shouted, unable to stop himself. He took a breath and continued, "Draco, I did what I could. I-"

"You didn't do enough!" Draco shouted. "You fucked up and we're going to pay for it, my mother and me!"

"Don't talk about something you don't understand," Rigel snapped.

Draco glared at him and packed his things. "You're pathetic" he sneered, picking up his bag. "You think you're so great, but you're failing. You're failing the Dark Lord, you're failing our family, and you're gonna ruin us."

Draco stormed out. Rigel stood to follow him but thought better of it. He looked around his common room and began pacing. He had done everything he could to succeed. Draco had no right to blame him like that. Struggling to control his rage, he forced himself to sit down. There was nothing to be gained from destroying his common room no matter how enjoyable it might be.

After a few strained breaths, he took his broom out of the chest he kept it in and left his common room. As he climbed the stairs out of the dungeons, he debated going out and flying, but gave in. He needed to get out of the castle. As he passed by the doors, he received a warning from Professor Sprout that he only had one hour before curfew, but he didn't care, he didn't have rounds tonight. He barely made it out the doors before he mounted his broom and took off.

He lost himself in the joy he got from flying. It was exhilarating to fly; it made him feel free of any worries. It made him forget his troubles. He flew high into the air and over the Forbidden Forest. He flew until he grew cold from the wind and altitude. He cast a warming charm on himself and flew slowly back to the castle. It was almost curfew but he managed to get inside with only a warning.

In his room, Rigel collapsed on his bed, his heart still pounding from his anger at Draco and the thrill of flying. Panting, he tried to calm down. The flight had distracted him but now he was back where he started, angry at Draco's words and frustrated at his own failures. By the time he fell asleep he still didn't know what to do.

The days that followed were miserable for Rigel. His plan to fix the Cabinet wasn't working. For weeks he'd tried to fix the damned cabinet but he couldn't figure out how.

* * *

 **9 November 1996, Rigel's Common Room**

Rigel was getting ready to leave for the Quidditch Pitch when his mark began to burn. For a moment, he panicked before rushing out of his room. He found Draco and explained that he wouldn't be able to attend the match against Gryffindor. While Draco went off to find a substitute chaser on late notice, Rigel went to find Snape. The professor was waiting for him and quickly pushed into the fireplace with instructions to go to some place called Spinner's End. When he arrived, he quickly moved out of the way. The room they were in was dirty and unkempt but that was all he saw before Snape joined him and took his arm. He felt the familiar squeezing sensation of apparition and he found himself in the middle of a field. The Dark Lord was standing before them and Rigel and Snape dropped to their knees.

"My Lord," they chorused.

"I confess myself disappointed," the Dark Lord said, his voice low and even. "After the numerous failings of your family, I had thought you would be eager to please me, Rigel. I heard of what happened, with the girl at Hogsmeade and can only deduce an astonishing failure on your part."

Rigel froze. "I am sorry, My Lord. I did not wish to fail you, My Lord. I only thought-"

"You thought wrong," his master snapped. "Such an embarrassment to see my trusted and loyal subject could fail so terribly."

Rigel started to speak but he was cut off. " _Crucio!_ " the Dark Lord roared. Rigel screamed, falling forward. His face hit the ground forcefully as his body trembled from the pain. He lost track of time as the pain continued. He couldn't think, he could barely breathe as he screamed himself hoarse. Rigel's body shook violently, his stomach churning as the pain continued to assault his body. His vision swam with tears that spilled down his cheeks and he emptied his stomach as he thrashed on the ground.

When the pain stopped, Rigel blinked furiously trying to clear his eyes. His chest ached and he struggled to breath. After a few moments, he lifted his gaze from the vomit covered ground beneath him to the Dark Lord standing above him.

"M-m-my l-lord," he stuttered. He gasped out as he was suddenly lifted into the air. He found himself looking at the Dark Lord.

"A reminder that failure will not be tolerated," the Dark Lord hissed. "I expect results soon. I want Dumbledore dead."

He ended his spell and Rigel fell to the ground. He lay there, shaking slightly, before Snape reached him. When he sat up, he saw that they were alone.

Snape apperated them away, back to the shabby room they'd flooed to. Snape led him to the fireplace and instructed him to floo to the DADA professor's office. After they arrived back at Hogwarts, Rigel sat down, his body still shaking slightly from the pain. Snape was studying him, but there wasn't much he could do. There were few ways to recover from the Cruciatus beyond rest.

"S-s-sir," Rigel stuttered out, his body still shaking slightly from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus. He felt something on his robes and looked down to see them clean of the dirt and vomit that had previously covered them.

"You need to see Madam Pomfrey," Snape said. He grabbed Rigel's left arm, pushed up the sleeve and cast a glamour charm on the Dark Mark to hid it from the school nurse. The Head of Slytherin pulled Rigel up and half carried half dragged him to the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey instantly began fussing over him.

"I heard you were sick, I was wondering when you would show," she said. Rigel blinked confused before he fell and emptied his stomach on the floor. He gasped out as he felt a sudden pain in his chest. He was vaguely aware of Madam Pomfrey and Snape speaking as his vision blurred and he blacked out.

* * *

He opened his eyes to a dark Hospital Wing. He tried to sit up and groaned as he felt pain in his chest and his head.

"Don't move!" he heard Madam Pomfrey order. He turned and watched as she approached and began to check him over. "You're ribs are still healing and you have a concussion. Here, take this, it'll heal that concussion but it'll take a while."

Rigel swallowed the horrid potion and blinked as he regained his bearings. He'd been punished and Snape had brought him back, Snape who was currently standing behind Madam Pomfrey. He frowned as he recalled the pain he'd been in, the uncontrollable shaking. He wondered how Snape had explained his condition to Madam Promfrey.

"It's still Saturday, right?" Rigel asked.

"Yes, yes, the match is over," Madam Pomfrey answered.

Rigel stared at her confused before remembering it was the day of the Slytherin vs. Gryffindor match. He'd been pushing the team hard for weeks and it had all been for nothing. He'd missed the whole match.

"Did we win?" he asked.

"Slytherin lost," Snape said. "Your teammates are outside."

"You'll see them soon, right now drink this," Madam Pomfrey ordered. "This will ease the pain of those ribs while they repair."

Rigel took the drink and barely kept it down. It was foul tasting but it did its job, he could already feel his pain receding. He took the next potion quicker, drinking it down without a word.

"All right, I'll allow your friends a short visit, but then back to resting, understand?"

Rigel nodded as Madam Pomfrey walked to the door. The Slytherin Quidditch team, plus Daphne, was standing outside.

"Keep it short," Madam Pomfrey ordered. "I want him resting in 10 minutes."

The team rushed in, looking equal parts worried and angry, well his new chaser, a fourth year Malcolm Baddock and Daphne looked worried. Crabbe and Goyle looked lost as usual and the rest looked angry. When they reached him, Daphne came to his side looking him over and kissing his forehead.

"What happened?" she asked, obviously worried.

"Yeah, what the hell happened?" Moon yelled. "You feel sick and wait until the last possible moment to find a substitute!"

"Moon, shut up! You couldn't save a single fucking goal!" Adrian shouted.

Rigel looked from his friend to Moon who'd been the best Keeper at tryouts. "You didn't save a single goal?" he yelled.

Moon had the decency to look embarrassed but continued. "You were gone and they only scored four goals! They could barely hold the ball! And your idiot cousin let Potter distract him from the Snitch and it bounced of his hand and into Potter's!" he shouted.

They all started yelling then. Moon, Adrian, and Draco shouted at each other about the disastrous match, with Crabbe and Goyle adding the occasional comment. Daphne tried to get them to stop yelling, but her voice was drowned out by their screams.

"That's enough!" said the stern voice of Madam Pomfrey. "Now, he's still recovering and will spend the night here. You can visit him tomorrow, if you can refrain from screaming."

The team's anger wilted at her glare and they started to leave. Daphne leaned down and kissed his forehead again, promising to come visit him tomorrow. As Draco left, Rigel reached out and grabbed his arm, even as his chest protested the stretch.

"We need to talk," he said. The others left and Madam Pomfrey returned to her office after telling Draco he had five minutes and only because he was family.

"What happened?" Draco asked. He was still seething from the absolute catastrophe that their match had been.

"I displeased the Dark Lord," Rigel answered. He reached to the small table at this bed and grasped his hand to cast a spell to cover their conversation. Once the spell was done, he took a breath and continued, "He wants me to kill Dumbledore," Rigel whispered. It was the first time he'd said it out lout since he'd returned to Hogwarts.

Draco blinked and stared at him incredulous. "What?"

"He wants me to kill Dumbledore. Draco, we haven't been in the Dark Lord's good graces for a long time now. This task, it's nearly impossible but it's our only way back to his favor. I'm doing everything I can but he's not pleased. If I don't succeed he'll punish all of us."

Draco stared at him, shocked. "What do you mean?"

"Torture, the Cruciatus Curse, repeatedly for every failure," Rigel answered. "That's why you should be happy that you were never told to join, that the Dark Lord never granted you the _honor_ of receiving his mark. Draco, you have to know that I'm doing everything in my power to succeed."

They were silent after that. Draco sat down, obviously shaken. When the five minutes were up, Madam Pomfrey came in and forced him to leave. As he left, Draco looked back, looking regretful before Madam Pomfrey closed the doors. After checking him, she matron returned to her office and Rigel let himself fall into blissful sleep.

* * *

 **17 November 1996, Hogwarts,**

Rigel awoke on the day of his 18th birthday to find Draco and Daphne in his bedroom. They were smiling at him. It was the first time in a while that he'd seen Draco look so happy.

"Happy birthday!" they chorused. Draco patted his shoulder but Daphne leaned forward and hugged him. She pulled back and kissed his cheek, smiling widely at him.

"We've set up breakfast here, so hurry and get dressed," she said. Daphne and Draco left and Rigel hurried to the bathroom. After he was showered and dressed, Rigel entered his common room. Daphne, Draco, Adrian, Crabbe, Goyle and Astoria were sitting at a table full of food.

They eat breakfast, and then they gave him his presents. Adrian gave him a book on Magical Architecture, something that had caught his attention recently. Crabbe and Goyle each gave him a bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. Astoria gave him a new set of ink and quills and Daphne gave him a new potions set with ingredients. Draco gave him a stunning model of the English national Quidditch team that included the Quidditch Pitch and was charmed to have the team fly around the pitch practicing. The Keeper guarded the goalposts, Chasers attempted to score, the Beaters hit the Bludger, and the Seeker flew around after the tiny Snitch.

When he returned to his room to put away his gifts, Rigel found two packages lying on his bed with notes attached. He picked up the larger packed and read the note from Narcissa wishing him a happy birthday. He opened her package to find a dark dragon hide jacket with gloves and boots. Setting them aside, he picked up the second note and read:

 _Rigel,_

 _It has long been a tradition in our family to pass on a weapon to one's child when they come of age. As I was not around for your 17th birthday, I gift this Goblin made silver dagger to you on your 18th birthday. May it be of use to you as it was to me._

 _Bellatrix_

Rigel opened the packaged and found the dagger. It was beautifully crafted, with the Lestrange coat of arm carved into the handle on one side and the Black family crest on the other. He took a few experimental swipes and found that the dagger was well balanced. The blade was smooth and clearly very sharp. He refrained from testing it on himself.

* * *

 **25 January 1997, Hogwarts, Great Hall**

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were busy discussing the upcoming Quidditch match. Slytherin and Ravenclaw would be playing against each other after lunch and the whole school was buzzing with excitement. Since they had lost their first match, Slytherin had to win to remain in contention for the Quidditch Cup. Harry, Ron, and Ginny were busing discussing the change in Keeper for Slytherin. There was a rumor going around that Lestrange and the former Keeper, Moon, had gotten into a duel. Most dismissed the rumor as rubbish since Moon had done terribly against Gryffindor, but Hermione wasn't so sure. There had been several incidents among the Slytherins since Moon was sacked. It wasn't typical Slytherin behavior. The snakes usually stuck together and rarely fought amongst themselves. Regardless, a 5th year girl named Heather Thatcher had replaced Moon, marking the first time that the Slytherin Quidditch team had a girl in Hermione's time at Hogwarts.

In the afternoon, the whole school headed towards the Quidditch pitch. The match began and Slytherin quickly took control much to the displeasure of the Gryffindors. It didn't take long for Slytherin to build a 110-30 lead. Pucey and Baddock each scored 3 goals while Lestrange scored 5 goals. The new Keeper, Thatcher, made several spectacular saves as Slytherin crushed Ravenclaw but the Snitch remained free. The Seekers had chased the Snitch and Draco had nearly caught it before a Bludger was hit at him. He managed to dodge but slammed into the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang, and the Snitch disappeared after that.

"This is terrible, if they keep scoring like this and Malfoy catches the Snitch, they'll take the lead for the cup," Ron shouted after Slytherin scored another goal to stretch the lead to 180-50.

"If Ravenclaw catches the Snitch, they'll tie or win if they can score a few more goals," Ginny said, trying to remain optimistic.

Their optimism crushed as Slytherin scored 9 more goals pushing the lead to 270-50. With the 220-point difference, it wouldn't matter if Ravenclaw caught the Snitch, but they could still hope. If Draco caught the Snitch, Slytherin would lead the standings by 330 points with only Hufflepuff to play. Given the score during the previous Slytherin-Hufflepuff matches, it was unlikely that Hufflepuff would be able to keep the score low.

"Look they're after the Snitch!" They tried to follow the two Seekers chasing after the Snitch, but a Bludger flying by their heads distracted them.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

They looked up and saw that Malfoy had pulled ahead of the Cho. He was getting close to the Snitch when a Bludger came at him, grazing by his broom and sending him into a tailspin. They watched fascinated as he tried to right his broom as he drew closer to the ground.

"Look at Lestrange!"

Rigel was diving towards Draco. He reached his cousin and grabbed his broom to stop him from crashing to the ground. With his broom under control, Draco returned towards the chase since the Cho had yet to reach the Snitch. Her Comet 260 no match for his new Firebolt II and he quickly passed her. Draco caught the Snitch ending the match. Slytherin won the match 450-70 much to the delight of their housemates. While the Slytherins hurried back to the castle to celebrate, the rest of the students slowly treaded back.

"I can't believe Ravenclaw played so terrible," Ron said as they left the stands.

"They weren't that bad, Slytherin was just on a whole other level," Ginny corrected. "I mean Lestrange alone scored 12 goals. They came out ferocious and dominated from the start. Honestly I think we were lucky Lestrange didn't play against us."

"Hey, I played great, I only allowed four goals," Ron protested, obviously insulted.

"Yeah, Pucey scored three and Baddock scored one. The backup Chase that replaced Lestrange didn't score one goal, he didn't even come close. Lestrange would have been harder to beat," Ginny said. "I hate to say it but, Lestrange is a great player. He's probably good enough to go professional."

"Come on, I could have stopped him!" Ron said.

They continued arguing on the way back to the castle, but Hermione ignored them. She didn't care about Quidditch. They had much bigger things to worry about. They were at war, but you could hardly tell at Hogwarts. Classes continued and Quidditch preoccupied everyone, the only indication of the war was the _Prophet_ 's stories of Death Eater attacks. It worried her that it was so easy to forget that Voldemort was out there planning to kill Harry and everyone that stood with him.

For all of Harry's meetings with Dumbledore, he hadn't learned anything new about the war as it was right now. Harry was only learning about Voldemort's past and while Hermione trusted that Dumbledore's teachings were leading somewhere, she was worried that everyone was severely underprepared for what was to come.

Every time she read about a new attack in the _Prophet_ , she wondered if they stood a chance. The Death Eaters were always one-step ahead and they had no morals. They would use Dark Magic on anyone who stood in their way while the Aurors and the Order could only use legal spells that were practically useless against the Dark Magic used by the Death Eaters. Something had to give and Hermione was worried they were falling behind.

People were out there dying and nobody was training them to fight. She understood the Order's desire to protect them and the rest of the students, but they were living in a time of war. They needed to learn how to fight properly. Eventually the war would get to them and they would be unable to fight back. As it was the Order and the Ministry weren't able to fight the Death Eaters, what chance would the students have?

* * *

 **1 March 1997, Rigel's Common Room**

He'd failed again. The year was almost over and he wasn't any closer to killing Dumbledore than he had been when he first started. He was running out of time and ideas. The cabinet was still broken and he couldn't figure why.

"The rest of the weasels are here," Draco said as he entered. "Saw them being led to the Hospital Wing by McGonagall."

Rigel nodded. He didn't really care about Weasley's wellbeing. His only concern being his failure, what it meant for his family. He hadn't been summoned by the Dark Lord since his last failed attempt, he didn't relish a repeat of his punishment that day.

"I'm sorry, I thought it could work," Draco said.

"It's fine," Rigel said. He had no other ideas and Draco's idea to poison wine was as good as any.

"Do you think you'll be summoned?" Draco asked.

"I dunno," answered Rigel.

"What are you going to do now?"

"…I haven't got a clue."

After several moments, Draco left the room leaving Rigel alone to ponder his next move. His two plans had failed miserably and he was running out of time. The Cabinet was taking much longer to fix than he'd thought. Rigel stood up and walked to his desk. He needed advice, needed to talk with someone who could calm his mind and comfort him. He wished for Narcissa, or perhaps his mother. Narcissa had always calmed him, but he was older now and needed guidance less than comfort. Bellatrix might be able to help him, to guide him on his path to achieve greatness in the Dark Lord's name.

Rigel sat down, feeling defeated. He heard a knock on the door and ignored it. A moment later the door was pushed open. He lifted his head and deflated when he saw Snape's angry expression. He knew he'd disappointed his teacher.

"What were you thinking? Such a foolish attempt could have revealed you! Never mind that a student was nearly killed, what would you have done if Slughorn drank it and died? An investigation by the Aurors would have surely exposed you!" Snape yelled.

Rigel nodded. There was little to say. In his desperation, he'd failed miserably. "I know that it was risky, foolish as you say, but I'm running out of options," he said. He hadn't told Snape about the cabinet. Bellatrix had made him swear to keep the cabinet a secret from Snape, said that Rigel needed to do it on his own. His family's stature with the Dark Lord depended on Rigel's success, getting help from Snape or anyone else would do his family no favors.

Snape sighed, his anger leaving him as he stared at Rigel. Slowly he walked to Rigel's side and kneeled to look into his eyes. He didn't bother trying Legilimency, not on Rigel.

"Tell me your plan, Rigel, let me help you," Snape said. It was almost pleading.

"I can't," Rigel said. "It has to be me."

"I know that, but I can help, you just have to let me. I want you to succeed, believe me. I know how much this means to you, to Narcissa, to Draco, and to Lucius. Let me help. Together we can do this," Snape said.

Rigel almost agreed. He trusted Snape, despite what Bellatrix said. Snape had been in his life for longer than he could remember and he trusted the man he'd known nearly all of his life. Snape had been a constant presence, a mentor to Rigel. Beyond that, he knew that Snape had made an Unbreakable Vow with his mother and aunt, but he couldn't do it. The Dark Lord wanted Rigel to kill Dumbledore and anything less than that would be a failure. Rigel had to do it alone, lest he disappoint his family.

"It has to be me. I have to do it alone," Rigel said.

Snape stared at him, his dark eyes scrutinizing Rigel. Finally Snape nodded. "I understand."

* * *

 **29 April 1997, Hogwarts,**

"Damn it!" Rigel shouted. He pulled away from the Cabinet and punched the chair nearest to him. No matter what he did, the Cabinet refused to work, always killing the birds sent through.

"There has to be something," Draco said, his voice giving away his desperation. For weeks now, Draco had been helping Rigel with the cabinet, providing a surprising amount of knowledge to the task. With Draco's help, the Cabinet was once again connected directly to its counterpart, but something was still missing. The birds they sent through always returned dead. Something was wrong in the cabinet and they didn't know what.

"I don't know what to do," Rigel said. Sighing, he took a seat across from the Cabinet. He looked at Draco, standing next to him, staring at the Cabinet with wild desperation. The younger Slytherin was feeling the pressure, knowing what Rigel's failure would form and his family. Rigel thought about saying something comforting, to calm Draco down but couldn't find the words, they'd never been ones for emotional conversations, not with each other. They'd learned from Lucius that emotion was weakness and only Narcissa was allowed to see that weakness.

"We should take a break," Rigel said. "Get some air."

"There isn't much time left," Draco protested.

"It's been hours, we'll take a break and come back tomorrow, maybe with fresh eyes we'll figure it out," Rigel said, trying to make his voice soothing but failing. Only Narcissa had ever comforted Draco and she was not there.

Draco nodded reluctantly and followed Rigel out of the Room of Requirement. Once outside, Rigel began to head for the dungeons, planning to rest in his room when he noticed Draco heading in another direction.

"I'll see you later," Draco said before rushing away.

Rigel considered going after him, but decided against it. There was nothing he could do to calm Draco down, not now that the blonde knew of their family's precarious position. Rigel had tried to shield Draco from the truth of their position but he'd been desperate for help and asked Draco to help him with the Cabinet. Sighing, Rigel turned back to the dungeons.

Inside his common room, Rigel collapsed on the first coach, burying his face in the cushions. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.

He awoke sometime later to footsteps approaching. He fumbled for his wand and fell out of the couch in his haste. He hit the floor with a grunt, landing on his arm and knocking his wand out of his hand.

"Lestrange," he heard the unmistakable voice of his head of house. Rigel looked up, eyes blinking to adjust to the light. "Come along, there's been an incident. Draco is in the Hospital Wing."

"What?"

"Come along, I'll explain on the way," Snape said.

The professor turned on his heel and headed for the door. Rigel blinked before scrambling up after Snape. In the corridor, Snape informed him that Potter had used Dark Magic on Draco during an encounter in the girl's bathroom.

"He's alright, Madam Pomfrey is finishing the job, ensuring he'll have no scars," Snape said.

"Where did Potter learn Dark Magic?" Rigel asked.

"A book," Snape said an odd tone to his voice. "A book he has since hidden."

By the time they arrived at the Hospital Wing, McGonagall was there. Snape spoke with her, relaying the events that had transpired, while Rigel checked on Draco. Draco was fine now and with Snape's timely intervention and Madam Pomfrey's help, there would be no scars. Rigel ignored his teachers' argument over Potter's punishment and collapsed on the seat next to Draco.

After everyone left, Rigel and Snape stood over Draco's sleeping form. Madam Pomfrey had retreated to her office with instructions to call her if Draco's condition changed. Rigel looked form Draco to his teacher, studying Snape's carefully blank face.

"My plan, I've almost done it," Rigel whispered. He looked over at the closed door to Madam Pomfrey's office. "I'm close, so close. Draco, he's been helping me and we're almost finished."

"How long?" Snape asked, his voice low and measured.

"I don't know, we've had some trouble but it won't be long now. I can't say more, but we'll need help. You'll know when we're done and I'll need you to help distract the other professors, make sure they don't realize anything until too late," Rigel said.

"When the time comes, I will do whatever it takes to see this mission accomplished," Snape said.

* * *

 **11 June 1997, Hogwarts**

Rigel stared at the cabinet, waiting for it to open. He'd sent the message, made sure Draco was in the Slytherin common room so that no one would suspect his involvement. All that was left was to see the Death Eaters appear through the cabinet.

Finally, the door was pushed open. Bellatrix stepped through, a feral grin on her face. She stepped towards him slowly and pulled him into a hug. She pressed her lips to his check in a wet, sloppy kiss that landed far too close to his mouth for comfort.

"You did it!" she exclaimed as she led him through a jubilant dance, cackling loudly. "Tonight will be a glorious victory for us!"

She let him go, pushing him back and turned to the cabinet as the others stepped through. He saw the Carrows, Gibbon, other Death Eaters he didn't recognize, and Greyback. Rigel froze at the sigh to the werewolf. He wasn't supposed to be there. It wasn't a full moon, he had no reason to be there.

"Let's go," his mother ordered. Rigel nodded and led them through the maze of junk towards the door out of the Room of Requirement.

* * *

Hermione sighed as she and Luna continued their watch outside Snape's office. After speaking with Harry, Ron had gone to fetch Ginny while she'd activated the DA coins but only Luna, Neville, and Ernie had showed up. They'd split up after that, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Ernie patrolling the near the Room of Requirement while Hermione and Luna kept an eye on Snape. They'd been there for hours now, keeping watch as Harry had asked them. Nothing had happened yet, Snape had remained in his office making very little noise, and nobody had come by.

"Severus!" they heard suddenly. "Severus, Death Eaters in the castle!"

Professor Flitwick came running down the stairs. He ran past them without a glance in their direction. The short professor burst through the door and they heard him talking loudly. "Severus, you have to come with me, we have to go help." A loud thump followed the sentence and then silence.

The door burst open and Snape stared at Hermione and Luna standing outside his office.

"Professor Flitwcik has collapsed, go and attend to him while I join the battle upstairs," Snape said. He moved past them, rushing to the stairs.

Hermione and Luna exchanged looks before entering the office. They found Professor Flitwick unconscious on the floor. Hermione checked his pulse and found it fast but steady, no doubt due to his haste down the stairs. They picked him, lifting him off the floor and onto the couch nearby.

"He seems fine," Luna said as they watched him.

"He does," Hermione agreed. Something seemed off, but she couldn't place it.

* * *

Rigel ran up the stairs, his heart pounding. The sounds of the battle raged behind him but he didn't look back, Dumbledore was at the top of the tower. This was it, this was his chance to end things, secure his family's place. He paused at the top of the stairs, taking a few breaths to calm down when he heard something. There was someone else there with Dumbledore. Gathering his courage, Rigel tightened his grip on his wand and burst through the door.

" _Expelliarmus_!" he shouted. The spell hit its mark and Dumbledore's wand flew through the air.

"Good evening, Rigel," Dumbledore said. The Headmaster was leaning against the rampart, looking old and tired.

"Who else is here?" Rigel asked.

"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?"

"No, I've got backup."

"Well, well," said Dumbledore, his voice calm despite the news. Rigel frowned at the expression on the headmaster face. "Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"

"Yeah," Rigel said. He was painting now. He couldn't believe it, he had Dumbledore wandless, at wand point and the headmaster was as calm as ever, not even a hint of fear or anger. Rigel shifted his grip on his wand, loosening and tightening it as he stared at the old man.

"Ingenious," said Dumbledore. "Yet … forgive me … where are they now? You seem unsupported?"

"They met some of your guards. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long…I came on ahead. I – I've got a job to do."

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," said Dumbledore softly.

Rigel stared at his headmaster, stunned by his calm demeanor. How could he be so calm? Did he truly not fear anything? After a moment, Dumbledore smiled leaving Rigel dumbfounded.

"Rigel, Rigel, you are not a killer."

"You don't know what I am or what I've done," Rigel replied.

"Oh yes, I do," said Dumbledore mildly. "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Rigel, but they have been feeble attempts…. So feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it."

"It has!" Rigel shouted. "I've been working on it all year, and tonight-"

Somewhere in the depths of the castle below, there was a muffled yell. Rigel stiffened, glancing back over his shoulder but no one appeared.

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone," suggested Dumbledore.

Rigel simply stared at the headmaster, frozen in place. He knew the words, he'd cast Unforgivables before, but standing there holding Dumbledore at wand point he couldn't form the words.

"I see," Dumbledore said kindly. "You are afraid to act until they join you."

"I'm not afraid," Rigel snapped even as his hand shook. "It's you who should be scared."

"But why? I don't think you will kill me, Rigel. So tell me, while we wait for your friends…how did you smuggle them in here? It seems to have taken you a long time to work out how to do it."

Rigel stared at Dumbledore, unable to believe what he was hearing. He took a deep breath, tightened his grip, and prepared to utter the words but his mouth did not move. He swallowed and started to answer Dumbledore's question. He felt compelled to speak, explaining how he worked on the cabinet, though he made sure not to mention Draco.

"So the Death Eaters were able to pass from Borgin and Burkes into the school to help you …. A clever plan, a very clever plan …. But there were times," Dumbledore went on, "weren't there, when you were not sure you would succeed in mending the cabinet? And you resorted to crude and badly judged measures such as sending me a cursed necklace that was bound to reach the wrong hands …poisoning mead there was only a slight chance I might drink…"

"Well, you still didn't realize who was behind that stuff, did you?" Rigel sneered, as Dumbledore slid a little down the ramparts.

"As a matter of fact, I did," said Dumbledore. "I was sure it was you."

"Why didn't you stop me, then?" Rigel demanded.

"I tried, Rigel, Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you, on my orders-"

"He hasn't been doing _your_ orders, he promised Aunt Cissy-"

"Of course that is what he would tell you, Rigel, but-"

"He's a double agent, you stupid old man, he isn't working for you, you just think he is!"

"We must agree to differ on that. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape-"

"Well, you're losing your grip, then!" sneered Rigel "He's been offering me help, always looking to make sure I can do it, that I don't fail. He wants me to succeed, prove that I have what it takes."

"Very gratifying," said Dumbledore mildly. "But you must have had an accomplice, all the same … someone at Hogsmead, someone who was able to slip Katie the – the – ahh… of course … Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"

Rigel stood frozen, listening as Dumbledore worked out what had happened.

"Tell me, how have you been communicating with Rosmerta? I thought we had had all methods of communication in and out of the school monitored."

"Enchanted coins," Rigel admitted before he could stop himself. He couldn't stop talking, dragging out the deed as he struggled to gather his thoughts. The words were on the tip of his tongue but they wouldn't come out. He'd cast it before, killed animals as practice with Bellatrix and Rodolphus but never on a human. Now, he couldn't even begin the curse.

Dumbledore continued speaking, bring up that it had been Dumbledore's Army's method of communication and Rigel continued to answer the old man's questions.

"Yeah, I got the idea from them. I got the idea of poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger as well, I heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognizing potions," Rigel lied. Draco had heard her talking, but Dumbledore didn't need to know that Draco was actively involved.

"Please do not use that offensive word in front of me," said Dumbledore.

Rigel laughed. "You make demands as I'm about to kill you? You care that I say Mudblood while your life is on the line?"

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore.

Neither said anything for several moments, the only sounds coming from the battle below. There was a bang and shouts from below, louder than before and Rigel waited to hear footsteps but none came.

"There is little time," Dumbledore said. "So let us discuss your options."

"My options?" Rigel shouted. "I haven't got any options! If I don't do this he'll kill me, kill my whole family!"

"I understand your position," Dumbledore said. "I refrained from confronting you because of it. I feared you would be killed if Voldemort suspected I was aware of your task."

Rigel flinched at the name but said nothing. He stared defiantly at Dumbledore.

"I can help you."

"No, you can't."

"I can hide you and Draco… the Order can go to your aunt Narcissa and hid her too. Lucius is safe in Azkaban … but when the time comes, we can protect him too. Come over to the right side, Rigel … you are not a killer."

"I don't need your help, I've gotten this far, I can finish this. My mother's trained me you know. Dark Magic runs in the family. I can do this," Rigel said, his voice carrying a confidence he didn't feel. "You're at my mercy."

"No, Rigel," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy, not yours, that matters now."

Rigel stared at Dumbledore. He adjusted his grip on his wand and took deep breaths. He could do this. He had to do it. He couldn't trust Dumbledore, not when the old man had shown no interest in him or any Slytherin before, when Dumbledore cared only for his little lions no matter how pathetic they were. Dumbledore had in fact shown great disdain for Slytherins. Shaking his head, Rigel struggled to form the words he needed. Suddenly footsteps sounded. Rigel turned and saw several figures in black robes coming through the door.

"You've done it!" one of them shouted.

As they stepped into the light, he recognized the Carrow twins, Yaxley, Greyback, and Bellatrix. His mother was there, a wild look in her eyes. Rigel turned back to Dumbledore, his hand steady again. He felt someone come up behind him and arms draping over his shoulders. He looked and found Bellatrix leaning into him, her lips against his neck.

"Well done," she purred.

"Bellatrix, we meet again," Dumbledore said.

"For the last time," Bellatrix said. She placed a cold kiss on his neck and moved away.

"Amycus, and I see you brought Alecto," Dumbledore said. The Headmaster looked at the others. "Yaxley, I'm not surprised to see you here, but the moon is not out, Fenrir. Have you developed a taste for human flesh that cannot be satisfied once a month?"

"That's right," said Greyback, liking the blood around his lips obscenely. "Shocks, you doesn't it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?"

"Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little," said Dumbledore.

Rigel just stared. He raised his wand, his arm shaking as he struggled to form the words that would end Dumbledore's life and save his family. He felt Bellatrix behind, leaning into him as her hand squeezed his shoulder.

"Go on," she whispered, her mouth centimeters from his ear. "You know the spell. Do it!"

Dumbledore was staring at him, his eyes full of pity and Rigel couldn't do anything. He stood there shaking.

"Come on, now we don't have all day," Yaxley said.

"If you can't do it, I will," Greyback stated, a snarl on his lips. The werewolf moved to attack Dumbledore but Bellatrix blasted him aside.

"No, it's his task!" Yaxley shouted.

"Come, Rigel, do it! Do it now, or stand aside!" Alecto said.

"I can do it," Rigel snapped.

He didn't have a choice. He felt Bellatrix's grip on his shoulder tighten and drew strength from it. This was it.

" _Avad-_ "

Rigel's curse was interrupted by another arrival. Snape stalked towards them, wand out. He assessed the situation, looking from Rigel, to the Death Eaters, to Dumbledore. Rigel breathed out and lowered his wand slightly.

"Snape," Bellatrix hissed.

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quiet softly.

"Severus…"

Rigel stared at Dumbledore. He'd never heard the Headmaster sound like that. He was pleading. He was pleading with Snape. Snape said nothing, but walked forward and pushed Rigel roughly out of the way, sending him crashing into Bellatrix. Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

Bellatrix pushed Rigel away and they scrambled to their feet as Snape stared at Dumbledore.

"Severus…please…"

Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

" _Avada Kedavra_!"

Rigel stood frozen and watched the green light as moved through the air. Time almost stood still. The spell hit Dumbledore squarely on the chest, blasting him backwards into the air. Rigel stood there in shock, nausea building in his stomach as he watched the Headmaster's body fall over the battlements and out of sight. He felt a hand roughly grabbing the back of his neck and realized Bellatrix was pulling him away.

"Come," she said, dragging him back down the stairs.

They ran down the stairs and through the carnage of the battle that was still raging. Rigel followed his mother mechanically, his mind still reeling from what he'd seen. Spells were flying but with Bellatrix at his side, nothing came close to Rigel.

Soon they were in the Great Hall. Those who had chased them had fallen behind and Bellatrix laughed maniacally as she climbed atop the Gryffindor table, knocking over the cups and plates. Rigel watched her pause, turn around, and shoot a spell at the windows, shattering them into tiny pieces. He stood in place watching her celebrate before Snape stood in front of him.

"Come along," he said. Snape grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the Great Hall.

The group made their way out to the grounds, heading towards the forest and the boundary that they needed to pass before they could apparate away. As they passed by Hadgrid's hut, the giant came out, yelling at them to stop but Bellatrix responded with a blast of fire. The hut went up in flames, filling the sky with smoke that added to the green tint from the Dark Mark. Suddenly, Rigel heard shouting and turned to see Potter running towards them.

"Keep going!" Snape shouted as he turned to deal with Potter.

Bellatrix pouted but did not argue as she pulled Rigel toward the forest.

* * *

 **16 June 1997, Hogsmeade Station, Hogwarts Express**

The mood on the train was quiet and somber. Everyone was still reeling from Dumbledore's death. With Dumbledore gone, it seemed many had lost hope too. The world seemed to believe Harry was the Chosen One, but few were willing to risk their lives to help him. They expected him to do it all on his own. The pressure was weighing on Harry, but there was nothing Hermione could do to alleviate it. The Wizarding world wanted him to save them but with Dumbledore gone, most lost the courage to fight.

The Order, reeling from Dumbledore's loss and Snape's betrayal, was trying to expand, but nobody wanted to join with Dumbledore gone. For now, McGonagall was leading them, but it was obvious someone else would have to step up. McGonagall was determined to keep Hogwarts open as a refuge for children around Britain, but the Ministry was putting pressure on her to close it and make the castle available to them as a base of operations. Hogwarts was still one of the safest places, the Ministry wanted to use it as a training ground, and headquarters for the Aurors, but McGonagall would not yield, in part because the Order suspected many current Ministry officials were working with Voldemort, willingly or under the Imperius. Not to mention the possibility that a Horcrux was hidden within the castle.

After much deliberation, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had confided in McGonagall the story of the Horcruxes. Dumbledore had theorized that Voldemort had retrieved items belonging to the Hogwarts Founders and turned them into Horcruxes. They knew the locket, the real one they didn't have, had belong to Slytherin and Dumbledore believed Voldemort had turned Hufflepuff's goblet into a Horcruxe but what item of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw he could have used remained a mystery, but it was likely that he'd hidden at Hogwarts. The castle was ancient and full of mysteries that Dumbledore himself had never discovered. It was possible, Voldemort, as the heir of one of the Founders, had discovered a Founder's item long thought lost to time. Until then, they had to concentrate on finding the real locket.

Then there was Malfoy who had remained at Hogwarts after the events of the Astronomy Tower as nobody had seen him during the battle. The portraits around the school had confirmed that Malfoy had been in his dormitory when the attack happened. Except for most Slytherins, the whole school was against Malfoy, but the blond bastard acted as if nothing was wrong. If anything, Hermione noticed several Slytherins deferring to Malfoy in ways they hadn't since before his father had been sent to Azkaban.

"Do you think Hogwarts will close?" Ginny suddenly, snapping Hermione out of her thoughts.

"It's up to the Ministry and Professor McGonagall," Hermione answered.


	5. Opening Shots

**Warning for blood, violence, child abuse, and sexual assault.**

* * *

 **20 June 1997, Lestrange Manor, Rigel's Room**

"Tomorrow we celebrate."

The words kept playing in Rigel's head. Rodolphus, recently freed from Azkaban had said them to him hours ago. There was no question of what he meant, the Dark Revels. The Dark Revels were horrific and brutal parties where the main entertainment was the torture and killing of Muggles and Mudbloods that had been rounded up. He knew he would be expected to participate but he was hoping he wouldn't need to. He'd heard of previous Dark Revels were lowly recruits would try to impress the Dark Lord with their enthusiasm for torture and killing. If the Dark Lord was busy watching recruits trying to impress him, Rigel could avoid doing too much.

Lying on his bed, Rigel reached for the potion at his bedside table, dreamless sleep. He had been experiencing flashback dreams of the various times he'd been punished, the times he had been forced to torture, Dumbledore's death, of the raids he'd attended, of his training with Lucius, Bellatrix, and Rodolphus. Everything came back and he often woke sweating and freaking out until he started taking dreamless sleep.

Being in the Death Eaters was a toxic environment that had him on the edge and wore him down. Between Alecto Carrow's unexpected desire in him and Greyback's revolting thoughts about both Bellatrix and him, Rigel was constantly struggling to control himself. Taking the potion was the only way to guarantee that he could get some rest, though he didn't take much, he didn't know when he might need to rise quickly, and thus didn't get much sleep.

The next day, Rigel was up early. He had a small breakfast with his parents, an event that passed quietly before they led him outside, towards the woods far behind the manor. As they approached, Rigel saw people, he assumed they were Muggles, hanging from the trees. He saw Greyback with his pack, dozens of Death Eaters, even more snatchers, and would be recruits. The Dark Lord stood at the center of a clearing, with Rodolphus at his left side and Snape on his right, the place of highest honor among the Death Eaters. Bellatrix and Rigel took their places on the Dark Lord's left, Bellatrix next to Rodolphus and Rigel next to her on the edge.

In front of them, two Muggles, a man and a woman, were laying atop a fallen tree trunk, tied down by magic. Their eyes were wide and full of terror as they bounced around the clearing at the assembled group. He didn't need to hear them to know they were begging to be freed. As if sensing his discomfort the woman focused her eyes on Rigel and begged him for help. Rigel forced himself to look away.

"Friends, devoted followers, today we celebrate the beginning of my reign. To commemorate this history event and the work that is only just beginning, we celebrate," the Dark Lord said. Pointing his wand at the man, he bellowed. " _Crucio_!"

The Death Eaters cheered and soon the clearing dissolved into chaos. Curses where flying and Muggles screamed. In the center of it all, the Dark Lord enjoyed the screams. Rigel let Rodolphus and Bellatrix take the lead, choosing to stand next to Snape. Bellatrix laughed manically as she tortured Muggles, using creative methods and her favorite Unforgivable before tossing them aside when they stopped screaming. It was obvious she enjoyed the torture, the sounds of their screams. Once they lost consciousness, they were of no interest to her.

Shaking his head, Rigel looked away from Bellatrix. With the Dark Lord preoccupied watching wannabe Death Eaters try to impress him, Rigel remained rigid next to Snape, who made no move to participate.

Nausea building, Rigel leaned against a nearby tree but jumped away when he saw blood sliding down the trunk. He looked up and saw a Muggle woman impaled by several spikes. Swallowing back the bile rising in his throat, Rigel looked away. His eyes landed on Greyback who was stripping a Muggle woman of her clothing, pawing roughly at her breast, pointed nails almost like claws digging into the flesh. His packmates were in similar situations. Various Death Eaters had pulled Muggle women down and forcing themselves on them.

Barely holding down the nausea that threated to bring him to his knees, Rigel turned away, focusing on Bellatrix who was carving into the Muggles' bodies with her knife. Repulsive as he found the sight of her covered in blood, laughing and carving up the Muggles, he forced himself to watch.

Feeling eyes on her, Bellatrix looked up. Locking eyes with Rigel, she gave him a feral smile, beckoned him with a finger. Reluctantly, he stepped forward, stopping a few feet from his mother. Bellatrix reached up, grabbed his robes, and pulled him down to his knees. Bellatrix let the Muggle man go and moved to kneeled across from him.

"You're not having fun," she pouted. She dropped her wand to the ground and put her hands on either side of his head. She stroked his face for a moment before dropping her hands to his neck and chest. "It's boring isn't it, having them handed to you?" she said. She moved her hands, up and down, from his neck to his stomach, her nails scraping along. "You're like me, you _crave_ the thrill of the hunt, the blood pumping in your veins…. It's only natural, you're a Quidditch player, you _desire_ that high, the _ecstasy_ of proving your superiority, don't you?" she said. She pulled his face closer, their foreheads pressing against each other.

Rigel said, swallowing nervously at she stroked his hair. He loved the thrill of flying and there was little that compared to the ecstasy of victory, but he had no desire to torture anyone. Still there was something exhilarating about casting Dark Magic, pulsing with the unbelievable power. The nausea that had been building subsided and though his heart continued to pound, he felt excited instead of panicked.

"You want to earn it, the power and the adulation, don't you?" Bellatrix asked a feral smile upon her full lips. "I understand. It's not fun if someone hands it to you is it? No, there's nothing better than facing someone and beating them. That thrill, the way your heart pounds, it's the _ecstasy_ of knowing you won, that nothing can stop, it's the greatest feeling in the world."

Bellatrix moved away, standing up and pulling him with her.

"But no matter, I know how to get you excited," she said. Bellatrix led him to the edges of the chaos where two Muggles strapped to a tree. Bellatrix levitated them and moved them away. They were naked, but had suffered no injuries yet. Bellatrix continued until they came across another clearing. She dropped the Muggles and faced Rigel.

"Watch," she said.

Rigel watched as fire exploded from her wand in an endless stream. It was beautiful. Fiery beasts began to form and he realized she was using Fiendfyre. He watched fascinated as the fire spread, consuming the trees around them, an immense heat radiating from it. Then, as quickly as she'd started, Bellatrix extinguished the flames.

"Try it," she said.

Rigel looked at the ash left behind. The trees had been consumed completely for several yards in front of them. He took a breath and followed her example. The flames burst from his wand and he stumbled back from the force of it.

"Don't lose control!" Bellatrix ordered. He could barely hear her over the roar of the fire. It was exhilarating to control such a powerful force. He stepped forward, guiding the fire forward and let out a laugh. Fiendfyre, one of the most powerful and difficult spells, and he was controlling it. The fiery beasts moved forward, over the ashes and towards the trees that Bellatrix had left unharmed. As the flames spread, Rigel felt his control breaking. He groaned and tried to extinguish the fire. He stopped the flow of fire from his wand, but the fiery beasts remained ahead. Bellatrix appeared at his side and doused the reaming flames with ease.

"Not bad," she said. Her eyes were wild when she looked at him. "Now we hunt."

She turned to the Muggles and removed their restraints. The two Muggles, a man and a woman screamed but remained on the ground. "Run," Bellatrix said. "If you get to the fence at the end of this forest, we'll let you live."

The Muggles stared at her for a moment before jumping to their feet and running away. Bellatrix turned to Rigel, a feral smile on her lips. She stepped close to him, put her hands on his shoulders, and turned him towards the Muggles. He could still see them, naked and running through the woods. The man fell and cried out but the woman kept running. Bellatrix laughed in his ear. The man stood up and kept running, heading in a different direction than the woman.

Standing there beside his mother, Rigel could feel his heart rate speed up; felt the blood pumping faster through him. Waiting for Bellatrix's signal, he thought back the times he'd gone hunting with Lucuis and various Ministry officials. What this really any different than that?

"Now," Bellatrix said. She smiled again and took off running after the Muggles. The adrenaline from casting Fiendfyre still pumping through him, Rigel ran after her. He heard her cackling up a head as he blasted a tree out of his way. He was taller than she was and it didn't take long for him to catch up with her.

"Get the girl!" she said before turning.

Rigel nodded and kept running. The woman hadn't made it far, having to run around fallen tree trunks and avoiding rocks. Rigel simply blasted the trees and rocks out of his way. As he neared the woman, he slowed down. On hunts with Lucius, a stunning spell would do if he didn't have a crossbow. But this was not a bird or a deer.

An anguished scream startled him and he tripped. He tumbled to the ground with a grunt. The scream was abruptly cut of as Rigel scrambled to his feet. Ahead he saw the Muggle woman jumping over a fallen tree. Body full of adrenaline, Rigel took off after her. She was a worthless Muggle, she wouldn't get the best of him.

A thought struck and he laughed as he launched himself into the air. Why hadn't he thought to fly after her before? This was much faster than running. He wouldn't let her get away. No Muggle would make a fool of him. Frustration building, Rigel summoned Fiendfyre and sent it after her. The flames burst from his wand with tremendous force but he held his ground. Fiery beasts formed and raced after the Muggle. Rigel laughed as he led the powerful flames. He focused on the Muggle ahead and directed the flames to surround her; he didn't want to burn the entire forest down. His wand trembled but he succeeded and got the flames to form a circle.

He heard the Muggle scream and felt a euphoric thrill shoot through him. He had her now. Rigel gave a triumphant scream and dispersed the flames. Unlike before, the flames obeyed, disappearing without a problem. The woman was in crouched down, folded into herself on the forest floor, the ground surrounding her scorched from the flames. Rigel landed next to her, heart pounding in his chest. He stared down at her. Now what?

"Good, you caught her."

He turned and saw Bellatrix at his side. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving in her tight dress, he looked away uncomfortable. She had blood splattered on her robes and a wild look in her eyes when he looked up.

"You had fun, didn't you?" Bellatrix said. She stepped forward, invading his personal face. He stumbled back awkwardly; acutely aware of the tilt of her body and the way she leaned into him.

Bellatrix frowned at him before turning to the Muggle cowering on the ground. Bellatrix waved her wand and ropes appeared binding the woman. The she lifted the woman up.

"I have a new spell for you to try," Bellatrix said. "Focus on her, flick your wand in one quick slash, and say _Excorio_."

"Alright." Rigel stepped forward and pointed his wand at the Muggle. " _Excorio_!"

A dark red light burst from his wand and hit the Muggle. The woman let out an agonized scream and Rigel watched as her skin peeled off. Blood spurted from the Muggle and sprayed Rigel and Bellatrix. Behind him, he could hear Bellatrix cackling as the Muggle's screams broke off. Rigel stood frozen. The Muggle's skin was gone completely. Blood covered the ground and he felt it drip down his face. The adrenaline that had pumped through his body disappeared in an instant leaving him nauseous. He dropped to his knees and emptied his stomach on the blood-covered ground. His stomach empty, he stood up and leaned against a nearby tree.

"Your first kill," Bellatrix said.

The thought made his stomach flip again and he stumbled forward. His heart was pounding and the sudden realization of what he'd done had him breathing quickly. He felt his head start to pound as he slumped to the ground. He'd killed her. One simple spell and she was dead. He'd done it.

His vision swirled and he heard Bellatrix speaking but he couldn't make out the words. He shook his head and stumbled up. He needed to get away. He saw the skinless body and felt his nausea flare up.

"No," he said. He scrambled away, turning away from the body. He stumbled into Bellatrix but jumped back as soon as they made contact. He felt sick, cold and numb at the same time. Rigel shook his head and started back towards the manor. He heard Bellatrix scream at him and a moment later felt something crashing into him. The last thing he saw the forest floor rushing to meet him before he blacked out.

* * *

A loud and anguished scream, the smell of blood, the feeling in his stomach. Rigel screamed and sat up. Breathing heavily, he blinked trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness. He looked around and realized he was in his room, on his bed. He was dressed in his pajamas. The thought of his mother changing him, unsettled him. He turned toward the nightstand. There was a note on his wand. Rigel reached for his wand when he suddenly remembered the events that led him there. The woman's screams echoed in his head and he stumbled out of his bed. He fell to the floor, feet tangled in his sheets, and tried to fight the nausea.

After a while, his stomach settled and he stood up. He plucked the note from his wand and turned away.

 _You will have to develop a stronger stomach if you do not wish to anger the Dark Lord. I expect better from you._

 _-_ _Bellatrix_

Rigel crumbled the note and tossed it aside. He looked around his room and felt suffocated. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the woman's skin flying away from her body. He shook his head, trying to chase away the screams that would not stop.

* * *

 **2 July 1997**

Hermione Granger no longer existed, at least not in the minds of her parents. As far as Dr. and Dr. Granger knew, they'd never had a child, much less a magical daughter that spent most of her time away from home with other magical people.

Having successfully erased herself from their memories, Hermione, cloaked by magic, stood across the street from her childhood home and watched as her parents loaded their luggage into a cab. The Grangers were retired and moving to Australia, at least as far as their various friends, colleagues, and former clients knew. It had taken weeks to plan, but Hermione had successfully ensured that the Grangers would be not be missed by those who knew them while ensuring they would be safely hidden in Australia, believing themselves to be Wendell and Monica Wilkins, retired professors.

Now, it was all paying off. Her parents boarded the cab that would take them to the airport. Safely hidden from view by magic, she let herself cry. If things didn't work out, if something went wrong, she would never see her parents again. Already, the guilt ate at her. Logically she knew it was wrong to mess with her parent's minds that way, to use magic on them without their consent, but she hadn't let that stop her, not when she had so few options. Ron's family at least was capable of taking care of themselves. They stood a chance if faced with Death Eaters. Her parents had no way do defend themselves against magic.

After a while, Hermione wiped away the tears and composed herself. With one last look at her childhood home, she apparated away to the Burrow.

* * *

 **10 July 1997, Lestrange Manor**

Funny how fast time passed when all Narcissa wanted was to go back. Seated among the Dark Lord's inner circle in the large formal dining room of her sister's home, she wished more than ever that she could go back. Rigel sat across from her drink in his hand. One month ago, Bellatrix had burst into her room and proudly announced Rigel's first kill. In the days after Narcissa watched him struggle between the young boy he was and the cold soldier his parents' expected. Lucius had proclaimed that Rigel had his parents; talent for war and his success proved it.

Part of her was relieved to see him succeed and Narcissa hated herself for it. Rigel's success meant Draco was safe from the Death Eaters for a little while more. Narcissa would be eternally grateful to Rigel for keeping Draco safe even if she hated what he was becoming. Every day, he grew colder and more unhinged. She could see it in his eyes sometimes, when he lowered his guard at night, and he looked like the scare little boy she remembered. But it never lasted long, he didn't let her comfort him anymore. When things stared to get to him, he didn't come to her, he didn't go flying, he went to Bellatrix, to fight and train even though he was almost as good as his mother now. Narcissa's place in his life was quickly being replaced and she found herself mourning for the boy she'd raised even as she thanked Merlin for the protection the change offered Draco.

"He's like Bellatrix," she'd heard Rodolphus tell Rabastan once after Rigel returned from a mission with blood on his clothes and seething with rage.

"It does seem he takes after the Blacks," Rabastan had replied. "Fire in his eyes and madness in his veins."

The assessment was accurate if insulting to her, but she could not deny that madness was something of a family trait. Regardless, having Black blood did not condemn one to a life of insanity. Still, Rigel did possess so many Black Family traits. He was had the looks, the temper the ambition, the passion, and he was drawn to power. It was true, every day he seemed more like a Black, wild like Bellatrix and Sirius had been at that age and just as angry. And look where that had gotten them. She didn't want Rigel to follow in the footsteps of those who came before him and driven the Black Family name to extinction.

The door opened startling Narcissa out of her thoughts. The Dark Lord appeared, levitating a woman's body in front of him. He placed the woman's body over the table before taking his seat at the head of the table. Narcissa spend the rest of the meeting in a daze, barely aware of what happened.

When the meeting ended, the Death Eaters dispersed and the Dark Lord left. Narcissa was relieved he does not live at the manor all the time; she could not have bared to visit if he did. She saw Rigel leaving the room, drink in hand, and called out to him. Lucius and Draco were leaving and she told them to go on ahead without her. They didn't protest, but she saw the look on Draco's face. It's been weeks since he talked with his cousin, not since he saw Rigel return from a mission covered in blood. She waited for them to leave before approaching Rigel. He was standing near the stairs waiting for her, a cold emotionless expression on his face. It hurt to see that directed at her, but she knew it was that same control that let him succeed in the Death Eaters, that kept Draco's hands clean. Still, it warmed her heart to see his eyes soften when she approached.

"Walk with me," she said as she took his arm. She felt eyes on her and saw Bellatrix watching them. She led Rigel up the stairs and away from her sister.

"What do you want to talk about?" Rigel asked.

"It's been a while since we talked, you haven't visited in over a month, and you're rarely here when I visit," Narcissa said.

"I've been busy."

"Tell me, how is Daphne?" she asked. His surprise amused her. Did he think she didn't know? She'd known for months. She knew what it meant when she found a book about contraceptive spells in his room. And she certainly knew what it meant when Severus sent her an owl informing her that he'd caught Daphne sneaking out of Rigel's Headboy room in the early hours of the morning. Did he think that Daphne's mother didn't know of his nighttime visits to her eldest daughter's room, and what those visits entailed? He was lucky Daphne's parents hadn't asked for a betrothal yet.

"She's fine," he replied, looking a little embarrassed. It was a nice reminder that he was still only a teenager.

"I do hope you're being careful," she said.

"Of course," he said.

"Good, though I must tell you, Daphne's parents are aware and it's only a matter of time before they ask for a betrothal," Narcissa said.

"What?"

"It's only natural that they would seek to secure the best match for their daughter and you, my dear, are the most eligible bachelor. A powerful wizard, heir to a vast and ancient fortune, and most importantly one of the Dark Lord's most trusted lieutenants," Narcissa explained.

"I don't want to get married, not now," Rigel said.

"Then you need to be careful, Daphne is a nice girl, but you need to understand how valuable you are to her family and others. There are many Pureblood families who have not supported the Dark Lord, who can claim no Death Eaters among them, and they know they will receive no rewards from the Dark Lord unless they prove their loyalty. Daphne's only brother has long a way to join, and her father was never a fighter, they're only hope is to align themselves with a Death Eater, with you," Narcissa said. "Our family has struggled and bled for the Dark Lord, we earned our place as his most trusted, don't let them use you."

"I won't," he replied, his voice like ice.

Narcissa smiled. She had nothing against Daphne but their family had suffered to earn their place and she would not let others ride the coattails of her family's success. If the Greengrasses and other Purebloods who claimed to support the Dark Lord but never displayed their support with servitude wanted the Dark Lord's trust, they would have to earn it as her family had.

* * *

 **17 July 1997**

Hermione clung to Kingsley as they flew through the air. There were Death Eaters following them, five hooded figures flying after them the moment they took to the air. In the distance, Hermione heard the screams and the sky was alight with spells.

" _Stupefy!_ " Hermione shouted, aiming for the nearest Death Eater. The figure zipped on their broom, avoiding the spell, and shooting one in return. Hermione blocked it but it nearly knocked her off.

In front of her Kinsley shouted something but it was lost to the wind. Hermione tightened her grip on the older man just before the Thestral swerved up and to the left. A spell flew by, barely missing Hermione. She turned around and shot several spells at the chasing Death Eaters. The closest one veered right and avoided the spell. The figure, Hermione assumed a man from the size, pressed forward getting within feet of the Thestral. Hermione shot another spell and Kinsley joined in as well. The figure swerved violently, their hood falling down to reveal Rigel Lestrange.

The Thestral turned sharply down and Hermione looked back to see a Death Eater falling struggling to stay on a broom but Lestrange was still on their tail, getting close and closer. Hermione swallowed back a scream as the Thestral bucked midair, a curse flying by them.

"Kingsley!" Hermione cried out as Lestrange flew closer. The other Death Eaters had fallen back but Lestrange was keeping pace. As a Quidditch player his skill with a broom was allowing him to keep even while curses where flying through the air.

The Auror heard Hermione and veered right allowing Kingsley and Hermione a few seconds of clear shots at the chasing Death Eaters. Two spells found their target, one Death Eater spun downward on his broom, screaming as he lost control while the second Death Eater fell straight of his broom, falling through the air without anything to save him. None of his remaining comrades moved to save him. Lestrange zigged around the curses, flying with ease, but he slowed down.

Suddenly, Hermione saw a huge black creature flying through the air. The creature flew quickly, closing in. As the creature grew nearer, Hermione realized with dread that it was Voldemort. He was flying towards them, wand in hand. The Thestral surged forward and Kingsley fired several spells at Voldemort but they were knocked aside. Then, to Hermione's relief, Voldemort left the chase as quickly as he'd joined it.

While Voldemort left, Hermione looked back and saw the Death Eaters were still chasing them. Lestrange was on their right and another Death Eater was flying to their left. Hermione focused on Lestrange while Kingsley took the Death Eater on the left.

The Thestral swerved abruptly, turning right and jostling Hermione. She clung to Kingsley as the animal turned and looked up to see that Lestrange had turned with them. Thankfully, he was concentrated on flying, gripping the broom with both hands and not shooting spells at them. The Thestral straightened its path before sharply turning left sending them crashing into Lestrange who didn't have time to react.

His broom smashed into her leg and their heads collided as they tried to straighten themselves. Hermione heard Lestrange cry out and watched helplessly as he reached out to grab her. His hand grabbed her arm and she realized his broom was gone when he pulled her down. Hermione cried out as he gripped tightly, desperately holding on. Hermione thought about shooting a spell at him but didn't release her hold on Kingsley for fear of falling.

The Thestral surged upward and Lestrange crashed into Hermione again. She felt him loose his grip on her arm but the collision allowed him to grab her again before the Thestral dived again. Kingsley, realizing that Lestrange was still holding on, urged the Thestral to swerve.

Lestrange screamed and his body was flailing through the air but he did not let go of her arm. Suddenly the Thestral straightened and slowed down. They were landing and Lestrange was still clinging to her. Hermione pointed her wand but Lestrange anticipated her spell and let go. She watched as he fell down for several moments before his broom appeared and he jumped on it.

"We're at the boundary!" Kingsley shouted and the next moment Hermione felt the air swoosh around them. They were past the boundary and when she looked Lestrange was no longer there.

At the portkey, a bent coat-hanger, Kingsley placed her hand on it just in time for Portkey to transport them all. Hermione blinked and smiled when she saw Harry. She flung herself into at him, hugging tightly as Kingsley identified that Lupin was really Lupin.

"What happened?"

"Lestrange came after us," Hermione said.

The rest of the explanation was cut off as Mr. Weasley and Fred arrived, pushing past Kingsley to get to George. While the Weasleys crowded around George, Hermione wandered to the yard where Lupin and Hagrid were waiting for the others. She joined them in their vigil as Kingsley began pacing. Ron and Tonks weren't back yet, neither were Bill, Fleur, Mad-Eye, and Mundungus.

Harry and Ginny joined them a few minutes later. The silence stretched out over minutes that had Hermione's fear shooting up. She was worried about Ron, they were finally getting to a good place, and now he was in danger.

Suddenly a broom materialized out of the air and Tonks was skidding to a stop. Hermione ran forward without a second thought, throwing herself at Ron. She heard Ginny saying she was getting her parents and Lupin talking with Tonks. Hermione pulled back as Tonks explained what happened. They traded stories, filling them in on the events of the night. Kingsley left, heading off to guard the Muggle Prime Minister.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came out then, Ginny behind them. Mrs. Weasley started to tell Ron about George's ear but her explanation was cut off by a commotion. A thestral soared into sight, landing a few feet from them. Bill and Fleur slid from its back, bringing with them a heavily injured Mad-Eye Moody.

* * *

 **20 July 1997, Unknown Location**

Rigel stood as still as possible as Yaxley informed the Dark Lord that the International Confederation of Wizards was sending a team of investigators to look into the Dark Lord and his forces. No doubt to see if the British Ministry needed help. The team would arrive later that week to do their investigation.

"I will deal with the Confederation later," the Dark Lord said. "Bellatrix, why don't you _welcome_ this team? Show them what we think about them and their mudblood policies."

A few chuckles rang out and several Death Eaters volunteered their services. Bellatrix turned to Rigel and he nodded. Taking on a team of Confederation investigators was bound to be a good fight.

"Dismissed," the Dark Lord said.

Rigel stood up and followed the others out the door. There were a dozen recruits standing there, hoping to be selected. Rigel studied them. The recruits are all strangers to him. The eager look in their eyes makes it clear they were confident in their skill and excited to prove it. Recruits without a sponsor had a long wait. The Dark Lord's inner circle was small and closely connected by various marriages. For the recruits from lower tier Pureblood families with no connections to the Dark Lord's inner circle, their only chance was to impress a marked Death Eater and gain sponsorship.

"We'll train tomorrow," Bellatrix said as she left the room. She passed by the recruits without a glance.

The recruits deflated at the knowledge that Bellatrix would be leading the mission. Bellatrix had no time for untrained and unproven recruits, only those who had proven themselves would accompany her.

* * *

 **24 July 1997,**

The team of investigators from the International Confederation of Wizards had arrived. The house they were staying at was well protected, but not good enough. With one loud blast, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan destroyed the protection charm around the area, shattering any wards in place. They charged ahead and Rigel followed. The blast had woken the investigators and a guard appeared ahead, shooting spells and raising a large wall of rock from the ground.

" _Reducto_!" Rodolphus shouted. The spell shattered the center of the wall, sending chunks of rock flying. Rabastan fired his own blasting curse, destroying the last of the wall. Dust from the blasts obscured the air even more than the night sky. More guards appeared and curses where flying all over the place. With the wards destroyed, Bellatrix took to the air, turning into a dark cloud of smoke that crashed into the house's second floor. Rigel saw red light flashing in the second floor and heard screaming.

" _Stupefy_!"

Rigel dodged the stunner and fired back at Confederation wizard in front of him. The wizard was haphazardly dressed, his robes barely on and he wore no shoes. Rigel traded spells with the wizard, testing his skill. The man was fast and his reflexes good.

 _Mutentur Lutum_ , Rigel thought pointing his wand at the ground. He blocked the stunner coming his way and leapt back several yards. The wizard rushed forward, trying to press his perceived advantage and slipped on the now muddy ground. He cursed and tried to stand up.

" _Glacio_!" Rigel shouted. The ice flew from his wand landing on the wizard struggling against the mud. The ice spread, freezing the wizard in place. Rigel allowed himself a triumph smirk and approached the prone wizard. The ice had covered the man completely, holding him in place.

Rigel scanned the area around him. There were several bodies on the ground, all Confederation wizards. Inside the house, lights were flashing, accompanied by screams. _The Cruciatus_ , Rigel thought. He looked away and saw his left, his uncle Rabastan struggling against two guards. Rigel ran towards them, firing hexes at one of the guards. The smaller one, which Rigel realized was a woman, blocked them and turned to face him, leaving her partner to deal with Rabastan.

" _Stupefy_!" she shouted as she charged at Rigel who easily blocked the spells. A loud blasting noise sounded from inside the house, followed quickly by more screaming. The woman seemed to realize for the first time gravity of the situation and let loose a giant torrent of water towards Rigel.

Rigel threw himself sideways and hid behind a large chunk of rock left from the wall Rodolphus had destroyed. He looked around and saw various pieces of rock lying around. Smiling, he transfigured them into knives and sent them flying over the torrent of water the witch was unleashing. The water stopped and he leapt to his feet. The witch had turned her water to ice and used it to protect herself from the knives. Rigel prepared to attack when he saw a bright light coming towards him. He dropped to the ground and heard a loud blast as the spell hit the house.

The woman's partner had defeated Rabastan. Whether his uncle was alive or not, Rigel didn't know but he didn't have time to find out as the two began firing hex after hex at him. He blocked and dodged, but the witch and wizard were relentless. Rigel raised a shield but stumbled back from the force of the spells. The wizard stepped forward and stumbled on some mud. Rigel took his chance and fired off several spells.

The wizard was forced back and fell to the ground as he lost his footing in the mud. Rigel prepared to finish off when he saw a turquoise light flying towards him. Rigel raised a shield but the spell cut through it and hit him. He felt a sharp stinging sensation on his neck. Another spell hit him square in his chest. Rigel looked down and saw his blood dripping down his robes from the open cut. He heard a shout and saw a blue light flying at him. Rigel reacted slowly, barely raising a rock in time to absorb the spell.

The blue light shattered the rock and Rigel was blasted back by the force. He landed on the ground with a grunt, but didn't lose his wand. The blast left him a little lost, hear ringing and vision blurry. Rigel laid there on the ground, waiting for them to finish him off, but no spell came. He heard them speaking and realized they thought they'd defeated him. Rigel laid there, panting, knowing that every heartbeat sent more blood through the cut on his chest. He heard the wizard and the witch speaking and felt them rush by on their way to the house. Rigel rolled over and aimed at their retreating figures.

" _Stupefy_!" Rigel shouted. The spell hit the man and he was blasted forward into the wall. The woman turned around, but was blast from behind by a red light and fell to the ground screaming in agony. He looked and saw Bellatrix standing over the woman, smiling as she writhed on the ground. Rigel slowly stood, pressing his hand to his open wound. Bellatrix ended the spell and looked to Rigel.

"You did well," she said before returning her attention to the incapacitated wizard on the ground. Bellatrix flicked her wand and transfigured patches of grass into ropes to bind the wizard. Rodolphus appeared in the door and laughed.

"Two more," he said cheerfully. Bellatrix glared back at him and he corrected himself. "One more." He levitated the unconscious witch inside. Rigel watched him go before turning his attention to his wounds. The cut on his neck was a mess, blood and sweat had gotten into it, but he'd been lucky. The spell had merely graze him and left only a shallow cut on the right side of his neck He cast a quick _Scourgify_ to clean it and closed it. The other wound war rather deep, one thin, straight slash running down his chest.

He concentrated on sealing it with a simple spell Narcissa had taught him. It took him a while, but the wound closed. He ran a hand over it, feeling the thin scar left behind. He didn't have his aunt's talent for healing spells, Narcissa wouldn't have left a scar, but it did the job, though his robes were ruined.

After a moment, Rigel remembered Rabastan had been defeated. He looked around and spotted his uncle, lying on the ground not far away. Rigel approached and found him alive. The Confederation wizard hadn't finished him off. He kneeled and checked his uncle for injuries. He'd been lucky, only a stunner.

" _Rennervate_ ,"Rigel said. Rabastan jerk and sat up, grasping for his wand. Rabastan pushed aside Rigel's hand and stumbled forward. He passed the man Rigel had encased in ice and blasted him to pieces with a loud bang. Rabastan laughed and headed into the house. Bellatrix sneered at him as he passed. The sneer disappeared when she looked at her son.

"One of them got you," she said as she approached him. Rigel stayed still as she came closer. She stopped right in front of him, towering over his kneeling form. She dropped to her knees and ran her hands over his bloody robes. Rigel froze as she slid her hands past his shredded robes and touched the scar. "Which one did it?"

"The woman," he gasped. Bellatrix dug her nails into his chest, into the barely healed scar. He was sure he could feel blood trickling out, down his chest and onto her wandering hands. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. The sharp nails hurt more than the original hit had. It felt like she was trying to claw his chest open.

"She'll pay for that."

Bellatrix let him go and he hunched over. He looked down at his chest, the long slash down his chest and the blood oozing out of it. Bellatrix's hands went to his hair, running through it in an almost soothing manner. He felt tugging on his hair and tried to straighten out. Bellatrix moved closer, pressing her body flush against his. Her hands gripped his hair tightly and pulled him to her. Her lips pressed against his. Rigel froze for a moment before jerking away, feeling sick and horrified. Bellatrix released her hold on his hair but didn't pull away.

Rigel stood up and swayed as his vision blurred. Bellatrix, still on her knees, grabbed at him. She hooked his leg forward and shoved his chest. Rigel fell to the ground with a thud. He tried to sit up but Bellatrix was faster. She flicked her wand and thick roots bound his wrists and feet. His mother smirked at him as she straddled him.

His mind flashed to all the disgusting jokes the Carrows and Greyback told about the Blacks, and what they did with each other, _to_ each other. Rigel strained against his bonds, feeling desperate and sick all at once.

Bellatrix said nothing, simply running her hands over his still bleeding chest. She placed her wand on his chest and Rigel gasped at the sensation. She was healing him. He could feel the wound stitching together, but it was cold, nothing like the warmth that Narcissa's healing spells radiated.

Rigel stayed still as the healing spell ended. Bellatrix looked wild, her eyes wide and her hair in disarray. She leaned down, kissing softly. Rigel froze, not knowing what to do. She pulled away, pouting slightly.

* * *

 **25 July 1997, the Burrow**

 _Confederation Team Slaughtered_ read the front page of the _Daily Prophet_. The kitchen of the Burrow was nearly empty. Mr. Weasley was off at work and Mrs. Weasley busy with the garden, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny as the only ones in the kitchen to read the paper that had been left behind on the table. The headline was accompanied by the ominous picture of the Dark Mark hanging over a destroyed house, with bodies strewn across the ground.

"The Aurors, who arrived on the scene after the Death Eaters had already fled, described the scene as "disturbing" and "haunting". The team of eight investigators and four Aurors guarding them were tortured by a group of Death Eaters under the Cruciatus Curse as well as other dark curses," Hermione read. "Lone survivor, German witch Brigit Kahler, who had been left for dead, was taken to St. Mungo's. Though still recovering, Madam Kahler, a veteran investigator of the Confederation, gave testimony to the Aurors who arrived on the scene. Madam Kahler identified the Death Eaters responsible for the attack, the Lestrange family. According to Madam Kahlar, her chief torturers were Rodolphus Lestrange and his younger brother Rabastan, both of whom were imprisoned in Azkaban following the Battle of the Department of Ministries."

"Wait, the Ministry still refuses to admit there's been another break out?" Harry asked incredulous. "Even after the Lestranges and others were seen out and attacking?"

"Can't say it's surprising," Ron said.

"Madam Kahler testified that the leader of the attack was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange, an Azkaban escapee who has long evaded efforts to recapture her. Lestrange's son, Rigel, remains wanted for questioning regarding the death of Albus Dumbledore, the late Headmaster of Hogwarts," Hermione read.

"They could at least say he lead the Death Eaters into Hogwarts," Ginny said.

"They don't want people to panic, most people don't know the Death Eaters were in Hogwarts, let alone that a student let them in," Hermione said.

"It's stupid," said Ron.

Hermione turned her attention back to the _Prophet_. The other big news, the International Confederation of Wizards was putting Britain under embargo until the whole Voldemort business was sorted out. The Confederation was recalling Madam Kahler and adamantly refusing to provide assistance for the Ministry whose Aurors had failed to adequately protect the team of investigators.

"How does an embargo work in the Wizarding world?" Harry asked.

"It means no travel to other countries, via flue powder or apparition, no trade, so imported potions ingredient prices will be souring, as will various materials, like silk for robes, dragon hide leathers, spices and countless other things," Hermione explained.

"No international Quidditch or European Champions League games either," Ron said.

"That hardly matters," Hermione snapped.

The Order still remained in limbo. The Ministry didn't trust them, even with Dumbledore gone and with various Ministry officials freed from the Imperius. In turn, the Order didn't trust the Ministry, which remained under heavy influence from Voldemort and his followers. It was dangerous to remain divided as Voldemort grows his forces, but the Ministry had too many Pureblood supremacists and sympathizers. Many of whom supported Voldemort's agenda even if they weren't open about it.

* * *

 **1 August 1997, the Burrow**

Finally, the wedding day arrived. The ceremony was beautiful and Ron even invited Hermione to dance at the reception, though she suspected he only did it because of Viktor. After dancing, Ron went to look for drinks while Hermione took a seat next to a stunned looking Harry.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked.

Harry didn't have time to reply. A large silver lynx was moving gracefully through the dance floor. It settled amidst shocked couples who paused mid dance. The patronus opened its mouth wide and Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice spoke.

 _"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."_

Chaos erupted instantly as the guests began to panic. Hermione and Harry jumped to their feet, hands reaching for their wands. Hermione looked around for Ron as the frantic guests jostled her and Harry. In the distance, Hermione saw dark figures approaching. Tonks and Lupin had their wands and she heard them cast shield charms.

Hermione shouted for Ron but couldn't find him. She felt Harry grab her hand as they moved through the crowd. Spells flew over their heads, the different colors lighting up the tent. Suddenly, Ron was there and Hermione apparated them out.

* * *

 **Don't forget to review! If you think I missed a warning or should be more specific, let me know.**

 **Also, eventually we'll have more Hermione, but as most of the plot of the books remains unchanged, I didn't want to just rehash book moments, so there's not a lot to include right now.**

 **And finally, you should know that this story is a slow burn. Rigel and Hermione have a long way to go before they even truly meet, let along develop feelings for each other. Rigel specially has to grow and change a great deal so we've got a lot of ground to cover.**


	6. A Minor Inconvenience

**This chapter focuses on Rigel and what was happening on the other side of the War while the trio were wandering around after getting the locket.**

* * *

 **24 October 1997, Greengrass Estate**

Rigel shuffled awkwardly as he waited for Daphne. They hadn't spoken in months since breaking up. They still cared about each other and he'd like to think they were still friends but the stress of the Death Eaters and growing pressure for a betrothal had driven them apart. They had agreed to end their relationship before it ruined their friendship but hadn't talked in months.

To his great relief Daphne arrived alone. He didn't know why she'd asked him to visit, but part of him had been worried it had been initiated by her parents.

"Do you know what Hogwart's like right now?" Daphne demanded without preamble.

"Not really," Rigel answered. Draco had written every week like he'd been asked, but his parents were convinced he was withholding information to them. "Draco's written little."

"Astoria's been writing since school began. It's worrisome," Daphne said. "The werewolf Greyback and his pack have taken to roaming the school grounds. They've stayed away from the Slytherins, but Astoria's worried. She had friends in Ravenclaw, Purebloods, who've been harassed by Greyback."

"Greyback is at Hogwarts?" Rigel asked. He hadn't seen Greybak in months. Bellatrix had gotten into an argument with the wolf and threatened him into leaving the manor after Greyback made a comment about Narcissa, since then Rigel had assumed they had gone to Castle Crouch where the Dark Lord was staying since his takeover of the Ministry had given him access to the Crouch Estate.

"Yes, lurking around the Forbidden Forest. Astoria writes that Snape's keeping them on a tight leash, but the Carrows are fond of threatening the students with being given to them if they step out of line. So far, they haven't followed through but it's only a matter of time," Daphne said.

"You want me to go to Hogwarts to do what exactly?"

"I don't know, maybe you could get rid of them. Astoria's scared and she's not the only one. She says that Greyback and his pack make a point of standing nearby during Care of Magical Creatures and hanging around near girls, Pureblood or not, Slytherin or not," Daphne paused.

"Snape and the Carrows don't care that Greyback is threatening Purebloods?" Rigel asked. He could see the Carrows not caring, but Snape had a distaste for werewolves. Snape wouldn't allow Greyback and his beasts to harm students, unless the Dark Lord approved of Greyback being there.

"The Carrows are happy to threaten the teachers and students with Greyback. Being tortured by the Cruciatus is apparently not as bad as being given to Greyback. Whatever Snape wants isn't a factor. He's Headmaster, but the Carrows are running the school," Daphne said.

It made sense. The Dark Lord valued Snape greatly and the post of Headmaster was supposedly a reward for killing Dumbledore, but Rigel had his doubts. As Headmaster, Snape was largely out of play, confined to the school and under the Carrows' watchful eyes. The Dark Lord didn't fully trust Snape, that much was obvious, but Rigel couldn't think of why.

"If the Dark Lord approves of Greyback being at Hogwarts, there's nothing I can do," he said. As much as he wanted to soothe Daphne's worry, he couldn't risk angering the Dark Lord.

"I know, but there must be something. Astoria's terrified. Please, there has to be something," Daphne pleaded.

"As long as the Dark Lord hasn't ordered Greyback there, I can get him to leave Astoria and the other Pureblood girls alone," Rigel said. Part of him felt bad that if he even if he could guarantee the Slytherin Girls' would be left alone, the girls from other houses would still be in danger.

"I suppose it's better than nothing," Daphne said.

"I'll look into it, I promise," Rigel said. He hadn't heard anything of Greyback among the Death Eaters. It was possible that Greyback had chosen to go to Hogwarts on his own, without orders from the Dark Lord. If that was the case, Rigel had all the authority to drive him away from there.

* * *

 **25 October 1997, Hogwarts**

It was surprisingly easy to get into Hogwarts. The Dark Lord has people posted around the grounds and in Hogsmeade, but they let him pass with little fuss. Everyone knew he bore the Mark, and markless foot soldiers stay out of his way. Rigel passed through the grounds gate and started the walk up to the castle. It was late in the day, almost night, and the grounds are empty except for guards stationed around.

He passed more guards at the castle doors as he stepped inside. Hogwarts looked the same as it had when he'd last been there, but it felt different. When he reached the doors to the Great Hall, Rigel froze. For a moment, he was back to that night when he'd let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts. He closed his eyes and saw Dumbledore's body flying through the air and then Bellatrix standing atop the Gryffindor table and trashing the Great Hall, cackling like mad. It was enough to make him sick.

Rigel turned and leaned against the wall, thankful nobody was around to see his weakness. The night of the Battle of Astronomy Tower as it had come to be known still haunted him. Dumbledore wasn't his kill and he was both relieved and angry it wasn't. His first kill haunted him constantly and he wasn't sure he could have handled someone he knew as his first kill, but if he had completed his task, his family would be in a much better position.

After a few moments, his heart calmed down and Rigel pushed away from the wall. He steeled his expression and headed for the dungeons. In his causal black robes, he blended in and attracted little attention from the few students that he passed, mostly Slytherins hanging out in empty classrooms.

He spotted Astoria with a group of her friends, most of them female, and made his way towards them. Astoria noticed him and stepped away from her friends to greet him. Her friends stayed back but kept their eyes on her, almost like they were watching to see if Rigel was a threat.

"Daphne wrote, said you were going to make sure Greyback left me alone," Astoria said.

Rigel tilted his head and studied her. She wasn't very tall, even for her age, but she stood perfectly straight, with her arms at her side, and her head raised high. The determined look she wore only made it clear: Astoria was ready for a fight.

"Greyback won't hurt you, he won't even look at you once I'm done with him," Rigel stated. The Dark Lord hadn't order Greyback to Hogwarts. He had in fact believed that Greyback and his pack were splitting their time between Lestrange Manor and roaming wizarding villages to make sure nobody got any ideas about resisting the Ministry.

"It's not just me I'm worried about. Greyback's made plenty of comments, watching the older girls, and the younger students. He terrifies the first and second years, girls and boys," Astoria said. She held up a hand to stop Rigel's reply and continued, "Purebloods or half-bloods, older or younger, everyone is terrified that the Carrows will follow through and hand someone over to him and his pack. I have friends that are half-bloods, in Slytherin and other houses, but even if I didn't, the way they talk, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, not even a Mudblood deserves what Greyback would do to them. Everyone is scared of them; even the older guys are terrified of facing them."

"I'll make sure he leaves then," Rigel said. He hadn't thought about the half-bloods attending Hogwarts, or the non-Slytherins being at higher risk due to the Carrows' favoritism. He'd been so focused on doing something for Astoria, for Daphne, that he hadn't stopped to consider that if he warned Greyback of the Pureblood Slytherins, everyone else would be at an even higher risks.

"By yourself? I know you're a great duelist, but he has his whole pack with him in the forbidden forest," Astoria said.

"I can handle Greyback and his pack, but I won't be alone, I'll get Draco and some of the other older Slytherins to accompany me. That's why I came here first. What's the password for the Slytherin Common Room?"

"Cruciatus," Astoria stated. She stared at Rigel for a moment, nodded, and turned back to her friends.

Rigel watched her go before heading towards the Slytherin common room. He gave the password and stepped inside. The common room was surprisingly empty despite being a Saturday. He spotted Crabbe and Goyle seating by the fireplace eating some snacks and made his way towards them.

"Crabbe, Goyle, where's Draco?" he asked.

"Dunno," Crabbe answered as he stuffed his face. Goyle swallowed his food and echoed Crabbe's answer.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Crabbe and Goyle had been Draco's friends for years, since before Hogwarts. Why wouldn't they be with him or know where he was?

"He's been avoiding us," Goyle said. "He says he prefers to be alone."

"You don't have any idea of where he is?"

"None," Crabbe said. He turned away from Rigel and continued eating, obviously done with the conversation.

"He's been avoiding us, preferring to hang out alone on the sixth floor," Goyle said. Unlike Crabbe, Goyle seemed worried about Draco's desire to be alone.

"Thanks," Rigel said. He smiled at Goyle, feeling slightly relieved that he still watched out for Draco even if Draco had pushed him away. "Meet me at the entrance hall in an hour."

Goyle nodded but Crabbe looked annoyed.

"What do you need us for?" he asked.

"I don't _need_ you, but I'll be dealing with Greyback and his pack, more than 20 wolves. I figured you'd like the challenge. Show those mutts their place," Rigel said. He didn't fancy taking on Greyback's pack with Crabbe and Goyle as his backup, but he was counting on the wolves standing down if he subdued Greyback.

"All right, one hour," Crabbe said.

"Want us to get other? Nott? Or Zabini?" Goyle asked.

"If you think they'd be interested, but keep it quiet, don't want the whole house showing up," Rigel said.

"Nott will definitely want in. Greyback's made some comments about being used to punish Death Eaters for failing," Goyle said.

"Zabini might be up for it. Nobody likes Greyback."

"Then get them. Remember, at the entrance hall in one hour."

Crabbe and Goyle nodded and stood to find Nott. The three left the common room together and headed for the staircase. They passed Astoria and her friends on their way to the stairs. Astoria watched them pass with a skeptical expression. Rigel sent Crabbe and Goyle on their way and approached her again. Like before, Astoria moved away from her friends for privacy but remained within their eyesight.

"Crabbe and Goyle? Not exactly who'd I'd picture as reliable help in a fight," she said.

"They're not that incompetent," Rigel said, chuckling slightly. "They've got a handle on the Cruciatus and I don't need them to do much, just stand behind him to get the numbers a little more even."

At the mention of the Cruciatus, Astoria frowned. She glanced around the corridor, checking for bystanders.

"The Carrows are insistent that we all learn the Cruciatus. They want everyone to know all the Unforgivables, but they're starting with the Cruciatus. They have us casting it on anyone that gets in trouble," she said. Astoria stared at him, as if it was his fault.

"I can't control the Carrows," he stated.

"There isn't anything you can do?"

"No."

"Daphne thought you could help. Maybe get them to lay off the Slytherins," Astoria said.

"I could talk to Snape, get him to keep a closer eye on their sadistic tendencies, but you'd be better off going along with their lessons," Rigel said. Snape might be inclined to agree, but Rigel didn't think the Carrows would allow any leniency. There was a reason the Dark Lord had chosen the Carrows for Hogwarts and Rigel knew nothing he did could about their decisions.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Astoria stated. She looked every bit a scared child, a younger more vulnerable Daphne, and Rigel beat down the instinct to promise he would fix it. There wasn't any point in it. He had no say in Hogwarts affairs.

"I'll let you know when I'm done with Greyback," Rigel said. He didn't wait for her reply. He marched up the stairs, determined to find Draco, deal with Greyback, and get out of Hogwarts.

He was halfway to the sixth floor when he spotted Professor McGonagall. Of all the Hogwarts staff and students, McGonagall was the one Rigel least wanted to see. The look of absolute hatred in her expression actually hurt him. He respected McGonagall, as a powerful witch and as a teacher. For all that she favored her little lions, McGonagall had never once made him feel like she hated him for his house or his last name. He still remembered his first year and the way nearly everyone outside of Slytherin treated him with thinly veiled caution as if they expected that at any moment he would lose control and attack someone.

McGonagall had treated him the same way she did every student. She waited to see their personality and behavior before reacting. When he proved to be a gifted and diligent student, McGonagall treated him accordingly. To know that she hated him above all save for Snape and the Dark Lord was a heavy blow. He had given little thought to how the Hogwarts staff and students had reacted to Dumbledore's death, had refrained from asking Draco for details of the days following the events of the Astronomy Tower, but he should have expected McGonagall's reaction. She had been Dumbledore's Deputy and perhaps his most trusted lieutenant. She was also one of the few people that wouldn't hesitate to confront him about his actions, to make him think about the consequences and damage he'd done.

"What are you doing here? How dare you show up here after what you did?" McGonagall demanded. She looked ready to challenge him to a duel and Rigel found the prospect terrifying. He'd trained countless times against Bellatrix and more than held his own, but the thought of dueling Minerva McGonagall in full fury made him more than a little nervous.

"Business," he answered. Tense as he was, he didn't show any emotion to her. He wouldn't like to duel her, but he wouldn't back down if she wanted a confrontation. He had regrets about that night, but letting the Death Eaters into the castle wasn't one of them. His chief regret, that he didn't kill Dumbledore when he had the chance, would probably be enough to provoke McGonagall, but he kept quiet.

McGonagall glared at him with all the fury in her but he didn't flinch. He knew that his actions had led to injuries to Order members, to Dumbledore's death, and only luck had prevented more casualties, but he wouldn't baulk at the consequences. He had known that people would be hurt by his actions and deemed them acceptable in order to ensure the safety of the people he loved. He wouldn't regret that he'd tried to do everything in his power to protect his family even if it had been at the expense of others.

"Tell me Mr. Lestrange, how many atrocities have you committed since that night? Have you heard what murder does to a soul? How many murders shatter and stain your soul?" McGonagall demanded.

Rigel flinched. He didn't like to think about the effects of Dark Magic. He'd heard the stories, of wizards driven mad by Dark Magic, of the toll it took on their souls, their lives, but he had no time to ponder that, not when his life was constantly on the line.

"I have business to attend do," Rigel said.

"Then you'd best be going, Mr. Lestrange," McGonagall said. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice that cut more than her anger. That she might have thought him capable of redemption almost made him tell her that he hadn't had a choice, that it had been his family or people he didn't care about, ask her if she could have sacrificed her family for someone who was practically a stranger.

"I'm here to get remove Greyback from the school grounds," Rigel said. He regretted speaking instantly. He didn't owe McGonagall anything, her approval shouldn't matter to him.

"Remove? I suppose your _Master_ has other plans for him," McGonagall sneered.

Rigel shook his head slightly but didn't deny it. McGonagall would never understand.

"Good day, Professor," he said.

He gave her a curt nod and continued on his way. He felt her eyes on him as he ascended the stairs and sighed with relief when he moved out of her eyesight. Rigel paused in his climb and leaned against the wall feeling more tired than ever. At home with Aunt Cissy, it was easy to ignore the damage he'd done and continued to inflict, but facing McGonagall, someone he respected and confronting the consequences of his actions as she saw them was draining. If he could do it again, he wasn't sure he would have done anything differently, bar taking his chance to kill Dumbledore, but that night haunted him more than it ought to have. He'd done much worse since then but in many ways that night was the start of it all, when his life changed too much for him to even pretend everything was fine.

After a few moments, Rigel continued on his way. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past and regrets. What he'd done was done and he nothing he did could change it. At the top of the stairs, Rigel spotted Luna Lovegood starting to make her way down.

"Hello Rigel," she said.

"Lovegood," Rigel replied. He blinked as he realized he didn't recall ever speaking with her. Lovegood was a friend of Potter's, she had every reason to hate him, ignore him if not try to confront him, but there she was greeting him calmly.

"You have a lot of Wrackspurts around your head," she said.

"I have no idea what that is," Rigel said. He'd heard enough from others to know Lovegood was a strange girl, but to hear her speaking was another matter. She was very calm, even as she started explaining the creatures she believed to be affecting his brain. As Lovegood continued explaining, Rigel stared at her. He couldn't believe she was serious about those ridiculous creatures.

"Luna?"

Rigel and Lovegood looked up as Draco appeared at the top of the stairs. Draco's eyes widened as she looked between Rigel and Lovegood.

"Hello Draco. I was just explaining Wrackspurts to your cousin. His head's full of them too, but he's a very good listener like you," Lovegood said.

" _Luna,_ " Rigel began, emphasizing her name to note the familiarity between Draco and her. "While this has been a very enlightening discussion, there's something I need to discuss with Draco."

"Of course, I'll see you later Draco. Goodbye Rigel," Lovegood said as she continued down the stairs.

Rigel watched her go before marching up the stairs. He took Draco's arm and dragged him into the first empty classroom he found. He cast _Muffliato_ and stared at Draco.

"You've been avoiding Crabbe and Goyle and the rest of the Slytherins to spend time with Loony Lovegood?" he demanded.

"Don't call her that," Draco said. "She's not crazy, just a bit strange."

Rigel stared at Draco, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Draco," Rigel paused, unsure of what he wanted to say. As long as Draco wasn't giving away important information, he could talk to whoever he wanted. If Lovegood's company was helping Draco cope, than Rigel couldn't say anything. "You're not telling her anything, nothing that she could pass along or could hurt us, right?"

"Of course not! I swear I haven't told her anything about the War. I haven't really told her much of anything," Draco said. "She does most of the talking. It's … soothing, to listen to her talk about something that doesn't relate to the War in any way."

"All right, just be careful. I doubt the Dark Lord would approve," Rigel said. Draco flinched slightly but it needed to be said.

"I'll be careful," Draco said. "Why are you here anyway?"

"I'm here to deal with Greyback," Rigel said. "Daphne told me he's been bothering the girls, Pureblood or not, Slytherin or not. Astoria mentioned he's made comments about the lads too."

"He's been making a nuisance of himself," Draco agreed.

"You didn't write anything," Rigel commented. Draco's letters home provided few details about his life at Hogwarts.

"I didn't see a need to. I figured Greyback was here on the Dark Lord's orders. The Carrows certainly treated him like he was supposed to be here, to scare students into submitting," Draco said.

"He's not. The Dark Lord expected that Greyback and his wolves were roaming the towns, not hanging out at Hogwarts scaring kids that don't pose a threat," Rigel said.

"So, what are we going to do about it? Two against 20, not exactly good odds," Draco stated.

"We won't be alone. Crabbe and Goyle will be there and they went to get Nott and Zabini," Rigel replied. Draco looked doubtful but nodded.

They found Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and Zabini by the castle doors. Together the Slytherin boys left the castle and headed for the edges of the Forbidden Forest. They all drew their wands when they spotted the wolves' camp partially outside the forest.

"Let me do the talking," Rigel said. He didn't expect they had much to say, but better that Greyback and his wolves focused on Rigel.

"Look who it is? Baby Lestrange and Baby Malfoy out with friends," Greyback said, drawing some laughs from the surrounding wolves. Rigel noticed that several wolves were tense and stood in defensive positions.

"Why are you here Greyback? The Dark Lord expects more from his rabid mutt than scaring young children, much less threatening purebloods above your station."

"You talk a lot considering you're outnumbered," Greyback snarled. The wolves started to spread out, trying to circle the Slytherins in.

Rigel cast a blasting curse at the ground to his left. The blast hit the ground, throwing half the wolves and chunks of earth flying backwards. Then, Rigel turned to his right and fired another blasting curse at the ground. Several wolves jumped out of the way but many were blasted back. Draco and the others launched several spells to eliminate any potential threats. Greyback lunged forward, but Rigel was ready. He cast a body-bind on Greyback and approached his prone form.

"A bunch of mutts against 6 Slytherins, I'd say the odds are in our favor," Rigel said as he crouched down. He reached into his boot and took out the silver dagger his mother had gifted to him for his previous birthday. He unsheathed it and pressed the tip against Greyback's cheek. "You're going to leave Hogwarts, go back to roaming the country side or Diagon Alley, or laying in ditches for all I care, but you won't come back here unless the Dark Lord orders you to. Do you understand?"

Greyback snarled and struggled pointlessly against his bonds. Rigel rolled her eyes and slid the dagger to Greyback's throat.

"You wouldn't dare!" Greyback shouted.

"I don't plan on killing you, not right now," Rigel said. He pressed the dagger against Greyback, drawing smoke as the skin burn and the wolf began screaming. "You're going to take your mutts and leave Hogwarts, or face the consequences."

Rigel pulled back and released Greyback. The wolf scrambled back, clutching at his burned skin. The rest of the wolves helped him to his feet. Rigel pointed his wand at them, daring them to try something.

"Fine, have it your way," Greyback growled.

The wolves began retreating, keeping their eyes on the Slytherins. Rigel waited until the wolves were far into the Forbidden Forest before turning to the Slytherins with him.

"If he ever comes back, let me know and I'll make sure to teach him a lesson he won't ever forget."

They returned to the castle where Astoria was waiting with another Slytherin girl Rigel didn't recognize. Rigel sent the others ahead, telling them to return to their common room for the night. Astoria and her friend remained with the unknown girl remained by the door as Astoria walked up to Rigel.

"They're gone then?" Astoria asked.

"Yes. I doubt they'll come back, but if they do, let me know," Rigel said.

"Thanks," Astoria said.

Rigel nodded. "It's getting late, I should get you and your friend to back to the common room."

"You don't have to walk us there," Astoria replied. "That why Belvina stayed, so I didn't have to walk back alone."

"It's fine," Rigel said.

Astoria nodded and led Rigel back to the school. She greeted her friend and paused to introduce them.

"Rigel, this is Belvina Harper, she's Niger's younger sister. Her brother Nigel was a year above you. Bel, this is Rigel."

"Thanks for getting rid of them," Belvina said.

"It's no trouble."

The walk to the Slytherin common was mostly quite. Astoria and Belvina talked quietly about their Transfigurations homework leaving Rigel alone with his thoughts. It was odd for him to be back at the school. Often while a student, he'd long to graduate, to leave the castle, and make a name for himself in the world. He'd wanted to be great, to make people forget what his parents had done and redeem his family name. It almost made him laugh to realize that not only had he failed to graduate, he'd added another dark cloud around his family's name.

"Thanks for getting rid of Greyback and his pack," Astoria said.

Rigel nodded his goodbye and waited until the door was sealed before turning away. He had one more matter to do before he left Hogwarts. He hadn't seen or talked to Snape since the days after the Astronomy Tower and it was time to talk with his old Head of House.

The castle was eerily quiet as Rigel made his way to the Headmaster's office. The Carrows had instituted a curfew on the students and staff leaving the castle feeling desolate once the sun went down. It reminded Rigel of that fateful night that ended with Snape killing Dumbledore. In many ways it was the defining moment of his life, when he crossed the final line and yet he hadn't done anything. He'd let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts, had held Dumbledore at wandpoint, but in the end Snape had delivered the final blow. Bellatrix had destroyed the Great Hall and Hagrid's hut, other Death Eaters had fought, but Rigel had done very little.

"Rigel."

It was Snape. Rigel stared at him, confused by his appearance. Snape looked pale and sickly, far older than his actual age. His hair, still greasy as it'd been before, looked frail and ready to fall off his head. It was a shocking transformation from the last time Rigel had seen him.

Snape looked around the empty hall and nodded towards the statue guarding the Headmaster's office. "Come." He flicked his wand and the statue came to live, spinning to reveal a set of stairs.

Rigel, who'd been to the inside the office only once before, hurried after him. The office looked the same as it'd had under Dumbledore. Rigel had seen it only once, when he'd been summoned by the Headmaster a young student after a duel with an older student who'd thought to teach him a lesson for his parents' crimes. Outmatched by experience, Rigel had lost, but not before breaking the other student's arm.

"Professor, er," Rigel paused. "I suppose it's Headmaster now."

"There is no need for either tittle. You are no longer a student," Snape said.

"How do you want me to address you?" Rigel said. It was possible Snape felt awkward being address as Dumbledore had. It was certainly odd for Rigel to think of Snape as the Headmaster of Hogwarts.

"Severus, you can call me Severus."

Rigel blinked. He couldn't imagine addressing his old teacher, his old Head of House, by his first name. The only people he'd heard use that name were Lucius, Narcissa, Dumbledore, and the Dark Lord. It made him uneasy. Finally, he nodded. Titles didn't mean much anyway. Rigel looked around the office, his eyes landing on a sleeping portrait of Dumbledore.

"The portrait, does it talk yet?" he asked. Usually portraits had little personality, just flashes of the person they were based on. The Hogwarts Headmaster portraits were famed for their personality and knowledge. It was said the school had special methods to ensure the previous Headmasters could advice their successors as they would have had they been alive.

"Not yet. It'll be some time before the magic truly awakens it. For now it spends its time sleeping," Severus replied.

Rigel nodded. It felt so strange to stand there looking at the portrait. His mind kept flashing back to the night at the Astronomy Tower, to the sight of Dumbledore's body falling into the green tinted night under the Dark Mark.

"Do you dream about, that night?" Rigel asked. He hadn't talked about that night with anyone, not even Narcissa. Nobody could understand what it had been like for him. "I do, often actually. Sometimes I wish I'd done it, but I don't think I could have. I know the words, I almost said them, but I doubt it would have done anything. I don't think I had the strength to do it."

"There's no shame in that," Severus said. His voice was low and measured. "It is not weakness to value life."

"Dumbledore was nothing to me! He meant nothing to me and I couldn't do it! Tell me how that isn't weakness?" Rigel shouted. All the anger, frustration, and tension he'd been under finally bursting through. "I failed! I failed everyone who counted on me!"

Severus observed Rigel's tirade with no reaction. The lack of response deflated Rigel. It was another moment of weakness at a time when he should have been strong. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"The deed was done, whether by my hand or yours, the Dark Lord's task was accomplished. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You did all you could," Severus said. The words brought Rigel no comfort.

"I should have been stronger. I _am_ stronger than that, I've …," Rigel trailed off. Severus knew of what he'd done as a Death Eaters, yet Rigel still felt the need to justify himself.

"There is no strength in murder or torture," Severus paused. He seemed unsure as he stared at Rigel. "You are a great wizard, Rigel. And I know you will only grow stronger, but you fill not find strength by killing."

"I know that," Rigel said. Killing had brought him nothing but torment. He would never forget the muggle woman's screams as she died, as he killed him. He hadn't planned it, hadn't known what the spell did, but he'd was responsible. No matter how much he wished, he couldn't change the fact that he'd killed her.

"You removed Greyback from the grounds," Severus said.

The abrupt change in conversation startled Rigel. It stung slightly that the person he was opening up to couldn't help, provided no understanding or even listened properly. It made Rigel feel terrible alone. Narcissa for all that she loved him would always choose Draco over him. The Malfoys were each other's greatest comfort and no matter how much he did for them Rigel wasn't one of them, would never be one.

"He had no reason to be here," Rigel said.

* * *

 **The Snape/Rigel scene's rather abrupt ending is both my intention and me taking the easy way out with it. I struggled with it for a long time and didn't really know what I wanted from it other than wanting another scene between them. Partially influenced by fanfiction, I always headcanoned Snape as a prominent and frequent presence in the life of the Malfoys so I felt the need to have Rigel and Snape have another scene together, especially given their roles in Dumbledore's death.**

 **The McGonagall seen was also another bit of headcannon I've had that while Snape was heavily biased towards Slytherins and against the other houses, McGonagall never stooped to his level and treated all students as fairly as possible. Thus in this world, McGonagall was one of Rigel's favorite professors.**


	7. Acts of Terror

**The reason they're flying on brooms instead of apparating into smoke is a personal choice. I figured only the inner circle knew how to fly in that manner and it wouldn't make sense to use only Voldermort's inner circle on attacks.**

 **Also the bit about witch hunts is a headcanon of mine to explain how Pureblood's go about enforcing the blood purity thing to their kids for generations. It couldn't be just "we're better than them, they don't deserve to live" or you'd have a lot more purebloods questioning it. I figured it would involve the witch hunts, teaching kids to fear the idea of muggles and their world, teach them that magic was their right and made them better, and allow for them to think of muggles as alien and something to be fought. And since History of Magic seems to cover witch hunts and dozens of goblin rebellions, little pureblood kids aren't exactly in a position to discover anything that contradicts their parent's beliefs about muggles and witch hunts.**

 **Trigger Warning for Incest, Sexual Assault, Sexual Abuse.**

* * *

 **Lestrange Family Properties (From Gringotts Ledgers 1997)**

Lestrange Manor: A large 3-story home, Lestrange Manor includes several hundred acres of land with gardens, a pond, a maze, and a miniature Quidditch pitch. Fortified walls left from the old Castle Lestrange along with extensive charms and blood wards in the old style make it one of the most secure places in the world.

Estimated worth: +140,000,000 Galleons

Montrose House: A two story, 13-bedroom house, located just outside of the Wizarding village of Montrose, Scotland, the Lestrange Heir typically uses this house. Beautifully furnished and decorated, Montrose House provides stunning views of the Scottish coast.

Estimated Worth: 29,200,000 Galleons

Reynard House: A two-story, 8-bedroom house, Reynard House sits on the large grounds that once held the Lestrange family's French ancestral home before their move to Britain. Reynard House is located within flying distance of Paris, yet maintains a country charm.

Estimated Worth: 23,975,000 Galleons

Villa de la Collina: An Italian estate built atop a hill overlooking this sea, this 2-story Villa is the Lestrange family vacation home. A 6-bedroom home, Villa de la Collina is decorated with beautiful frescos preserved by magic and is one of the oldest homes in wizarding Italy.

Estimated Worth: 18,150,000 Galleons

Château Fontaine: A small 2-story manor house, Fontaine is located in Saint-Tropez. Surrounded by the beautiful landscapes of the French Riviera, Fontaine is the vacation house for the Lestrange Heir.

Estimated Worth: 7,820,000 Galleons

Darenhame Hall: The remains of a large 2-story manor house, Darenhame Hall is located in Southwestern Britain. A premiere example of 15th century homes, Darenhame Hall was burned down in the early 17th century.

Estimated Worth: 3,650,000 Galleons

Wesmere Cottage: A small 2-floor cottage located in Puddlemere, England, Wesmere Cottage is traditionally used by children of the Lestrange Heir. Located just outside the city, Wesmere Cottage is surrounded by a light forest.

Estimated Worth: 1,872,500 Galleons

* * *

 **31 October 1997, London**

It had been 16 years since the night the Dark Lord had first failed to kill Harry Potter. Halloween had become a day of hope for the Order and other rebels. It was a reminder that the Dark Lord had failed before, that the Boy-Who-Lived had once triumphed even when all hope seem lost.

The Dark Lord knew how much the rebels celebrated Halloween and planned to ensure the day never again brought them hope or joy. He assembled his forces and orchestrated three simultaneous attacks. Rodolphus and Rabastan would lead their forces to attack the Quidditch stadium Caerphilly in Wales during a match between the Catapults and league-leaders Tutshill. Lucius and Nott lead the forces against Puddlemere where some foolish would-be rebels were hosting a rally protesting the Muggleborn Registration Committee. Lastly the Dark Lord instructed Bellatrix and Rigel to head to muggle London.

The attacks on Caerphilly and Puddlemere were to remind the Wizards of the danger of opposing the Dark Lord and his Ministry. The attack on muggle London was the first of many strikes on the Dark Lord's quest to rid the world of muggles, mudbloods, and mongrel halfbloods.

On his broom, high above the bustling city, Rigel felt anxious. He'd never seen muggle London before. Everything he'd heard of muggles told him they were weak, worthless wastes of space, yet numerous and vicious. They bred like animals and fought like them. Despite everything he'd been taught about muggles, Rigel was astounded by the city below. London was massive, larger than any Wizarding settlement and so loud. Even hundreds of feet above, the city's noise was still audible. The city itself seemed alive it was so busy.

It went against everything Rigel had expected. All his life, muggles had been the butt of jokes, foolish animals ignorant of the world around them, or monsters constantly growing in numbers as they sought to eradicate the world of anything not muggle. Yet the city before him could not be the work of fools. The buildings were massive metal and glass structures bigger than any castle he'd ever seen. The strange machines that sped along paved roads seemed so odd, yet ingenious. Brooms could only carry a few people at a time, yet the muggles has built large metal machines to carry around whole communities.

"Pathetic isn't it?"

"No, not really," Rigel said. He looked to his left. It was a new recruit, newly arrived from the continent. Sven was an old man who told tales of Grindelwald, his voice tinged with longing. Grindelwald who had inspired the Dark Lord or so some tales said. Sven spoke proudly of how he'd served under Grindelwald, of how the Dark Lord had surpassed Grindelwald and inspired Sven to join his cause. He'd had even brought his wife and young children to Britain. He wanted to ensure his sons knew their father's cause, grew up ready to take their places on the front line to ensure the blood cleansing would succeed.

"Look at them, running around like maggots without understanding the world. They're so ignorant of magic, of the wonders it brings, or the power it gives us. They would worship the Dark Lord like a god if he graced them with his presence," Sven stated.

Rigel didn't reply. Sven was a true believer, a man devoted to the cause with no reservations. There was nothing that Sven valued more in life. It was something Rigel couldn't understand.

"It's time!" Bellatrix shouted. She signaled with her hand and a dozen soldiers flew down towards the city.

Rigel watched them go, wondering what the point was. There was nothing to gain from attacking them. Muggles were numerous and said to possess great weapons but they had little protection against magic. Their wondrous buildings would not withstand even a simple blasting curse, their metal carriages useless against Fiendfyre.

"They are so helpless, those muggles. Can't even fight back," Bellatrix said. She flew her broom to Rigel's side, throwing an arm over shoulders. She leaned close, her lips centimeters from his ears. "It's just too easy. No challenge at all. You need that challenge, a fight to get your blood flowing."

Rigel shivered. There was nothing enjoyable about dueling for your life, about killing. He felt so cold inside. McGonagall's words came back to him and he wondered how much of his soul was still intact. How many pieces of his soul were still there?

"Come with me, I'll show you how to have fun," Bellatrix said. She pressed her cold lips to his neck, lingering there for a moment before pulling away.

She grabbed his hand and they began their descent. As they flew lower, Rigel could hear screams. The Death Eaters had begun with the large metal bridge across the river, destroying its supports and sending it crashing into the river below.

Bellatrix lead Rigel along the collapsed bridge. He heard the screams, muggles begging for help. Clenching his jaw, he focused on the building in the distance. As they flew closer, Rigel realized it was a church of some kind. Wizards didn't have churches, they worshiped no gods, but Rigel knew that muggles did. He'd grown up with tales of muggles and their gods, gods that demanded the death of magic and all who possessed it. Muggles and their god had led to death of dozens of witches and wizards over the years until the Statue of Secrecy.

The church was large and mostly stone, with a large number of windows. Bellatrix laughed and flicked her wand. The red light smashed into the large wooden doors, splintering them into thousands of tiny pieces. They flew low, passing through the opening and landing in the center of the church. A man dressed in simple robes was standing at an altar. He started at them, stunned.

Bellatrix laughed and pointed her wand at the man. " _Avada Kadavra!_ "

The man dropped to the ground wordlessly. Rigel stared at the body as Bellatrix skipped around, blasting benches, windows, and anything else that caught her eye. He felt numb, empty and numb.

Rigel walked around, watching Bellatrix destroy various statues that lined the walls. He almost laughed at the absurdity of the moment. Muggles were weak, there was no denying it, yet Bellatrix and countless purebloods were so proud of the hurting them. Why did they derive such enjoyment from tormenting weak Muggles? Muggles that they claimed were no better than animals.

He leaned against a stone pillar and closed his eyes. In the distance, he could hear some sort of alarm blaring loudly in the streets while Muggles begged for help. Rigel gritted his teeth as a woman's scream rang out. Screams were a common factor in his dreams, something he could not escape. No matter how often he heard them, he was not yet immune to them.

"You're not paying attention."

Rigel's eyes snapped open to find Bellatrix in front of him. She push his shoulder until he was pressed against the pillar. She slid her arms up, wrapping them around his neck as she stepped closer to him. Rigel stiffened as she pressed against him. His heart hammered in his chest while Bellatrix's hands played with the ends of his hair. He needed to cut it soon, it was nearly at his shoulders. She pouted at him, as he stood there, while she pressed against him. She reached around and moved a few arrant locks of hair out of his face.

"Look at me," Bellatrix whispered. She pushed on his head, forcing him to rest his forehead against hers. "You look like Rodolphus when he was young."

Rigel wanted to pull away, to shove her away, but he knew it was useless. He stood no chance against Bellatrix. It was better to let her do as she pleased. He only hoped it didn't last long, that she would lose interest, or perhaps someone would interrupt.

"Relax," Bellatrix whispered. Her pupils were dilated completely, staring into Rigel's eyes with a terrifying gleam in them. "Do you not enjoy this? A glorious conquest to get your blood rushing? Our blood, _Pureblood,_ Black blood,purer than any other. No one is equal to us. We're Blacks, darling. It's in our blood."

Bellatrix pulled his head down and Rigel closed his eyes as she pressed her lips to his. He shuddered and remained in place. He could feel her smile as she pulled away and started trailing wet open mouth kisses to his jaw, and neck. He shivered, clenching his eyes shut. Bellatrix dropped her wand and buried her hands into his hair. She tugged roughly at his hair, forcing his head back to suck on his neck.

Rigel shook his head and grabbed her arms. Bellatrix struggled against him but he was stronger. Her wand was on the floor by his feet and Rigel kicked it away. Bellatrix pouted and tried to wring free of his hold. She kicked out at him and dug her nails into his arm. Rigel spun them around and pinned her to the wall.

"Stop it!" he growled. He stared at her, panting with barely restrained anger. He felt sick and angry all at once. There was something deeply wrong with her and he had no idea what to do.

"You want control?" Bellatrix rasped. "Take it! Take _Me!_ " She arched against him.

Rigel jerked away, dropping her arms and stumbling backwards. Bellatrix stared at him, her face of mixture of disappointment and anger. Rigel clutched his wand, trying to steady his shaking hands as she glowered. He felt terrified.

Bellatrix stretched out her hand, summoning her wand. Rigel reached out, smacking her wand out of the air and sending it flying into the debris around them. Bellatrix's eyes snapped to him.

"I'm sorry," Rigel said. He shouldn't have done that. It'd done nothing but make her angry. He wanted so badly to flee but he knew it was useless. Running would only make things worse, he was sure of it. Bellatrix kept staring at him, her eyes dark pool of blazing anger. He felt scared and powerless. She was much more powerful than he was, even without her wand.

A searing pain flared in his arm, the Dark Mark pulsing as the Dark Lord called to his followers. Rigel grabbed his arm, pressing against the mark. He saw Bellatrix holding her arm to her chest before she spun and apparated away. Rigel summoned his broomstick and held onto it as he apparated away.

The foyer of Crouch Castle was full of Death Eaters, werewolves and various other tagalongs. Several had robes splattered with blood and grime, a sign of the raid they had participated in. Rigel scanned the room, relaxing slightly when he saw Bellatrix walking into the ballroom without a glance back.

Rigel waited, letting the others shuffle into the ballroom ahead of him. Despite the burning pain in his arm, it was not a meeting for the Inner Circle. Everyone seemed to be in attendance and for once Rigel was grateful for the extra bodies.

In the ballroom, the Dark Lord was seated on a throne atop an elevated platform. Wormtail was seated at the bottom of the steps to the throne, while everyone gathered in front of it. Rigel almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. The longer he spent with the Death Eaters, the more he found everything pretentious and utterly meaningless.

The Dark Lord stood, instantly silencing the room. He spoke quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as the congratulated them for the raid. It was a triumph he had wanted for years, to retake the day Potter had gotten away and make it his own. The room cheered as several Snatchers brought captives, muggle men and women, into the room.

A Snatcher dragged a muggle woman and dropped her in front of the Dark Lord. Everyone paused, the cheers fading away as they waited for their master to begin the festivities. After a moment, the Dark Lord flicked his wand and the woman screamed as dozens of cuts appeared all over her body.

The room roared their pleasure and sprang into action. The Dark Lord watched impassively as the torture began before making his way through the crowd. Like always, the Dark Lord had more important things to do than mingle with his followers. Rigel moved away from the door, trying not to draw his master's attention. The last thing he needed was to be scrutinized by the Dark Lord. Rigel was exhausted, he had no strength to maintain occlemency shields.

"How was the raid?"

Rigel flinched and backed away. He straightened out, trying to ignore the weakness he'd just displayed. He hadn't noticed Lucius approaching him, despite the blond hair sticking out in a room full of dark colors.

"Uncle," Rigel said. It came out softly, weaker than he'd wanted, but he was beyond exhausted. He cleared his throat, trying to settle his mind and body. "The raid was simply. The muggles didn't stand a chance."

"Of course they didn't," Lucius sneered. Nothing could change Lucius' mind about muggles. "I was more interested in your mother."

"What?" Rigel demanded. What did Lucius know? Had he given himself away?

"I haven't seen them like that in years," Lucius answered. He was looking over Rigel's shoulder.

Rigel turned and felt his stomach sink at the sight. Bellatrix and Rodolphus were pressed against each other, hands and lips wandering while they stood over a mutilated corpse. Rigel looked away. Lucius was right, Bellatrix hadn't shown interest in Rodolphus in the entire time Rigel had known them.

"Strange isn't it?" Lucius asked.

"It's none of my concern." Rigel turned around, hoping his expression hid his turbulent emotions and thoughts.

Lucius eyed Rigel skeptically, as if he suspected something had happened on the raid. The blond man frowned, his eyes icy blue eyes never leaving Rigel's own. It was clear that Rigel was holding something back, he could only hope that Lucius couldn't decipher it. He didn't need anyone else to know.

"In any case, I should rest. The raid tired me out," Rigel said.

"Of course." Lucius nodded, but did not look away as Rigel marched out of the room.

* * *

 **17 November 1997, Malfoy Manor**

As the clock finished its final chime, Rigel poured himself another drink. Across from him, Narcissa frowned but said nothing. They were alone, the remnants of an early birthday dinner long cleaned up by house-elves, but neither of them left the table. Lucius had retreated to his room, leaving Rigel and Narcissa alone. His parents remained in their home, lost in each other.

"Do you think they remember?" Rigel asked. Part of him didn't want to know that they had forgotten, that he did not matter to them at all. The rest of him, the weakness inside craved some confirmation of his worth to his parents. He couldn't help but want their love, even if Bellatrix's recent attention terrified him.

Narcissa was quite. She sipped her wine, refusing to meet his eyes. She couldn't give him the answer he wanted but she would not lie to him.

"I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway," Rigel said. It hurt, a deep ache that he couldn't prevent. He had tried to temper his expectations but the memory of Bellatrix's gift the year before had fueled a desperate hope that he meant something to his parents. Now he wondered how she had remembered then. "Last year, she sent a gift. Was that your idea or did she truly remember?"

"I reminded her," Narcissa admitted. "She chose the dagger herself, but only after I reminded her."

Rigel nodded. He hadn't considered that Narcissa had been responsible for his gift. At the time, he'd merely been happy to receive it.

"I have something for you," Narcissa said. She produced a small package from her robes. With a flick of her wand, the gift grew, doubling its size until it resembled a small shoe box. His aunt pushed the box across the table.

Rigel stared at the box for a moment. He had no need for anything material. He took the box, carefully removing the wrapping. Underneath the wrapping, lay a bland black box that betrayed nothing of its contents. Slowly, he removed the top. Inside the box lay two small vials filled with silver cloudlike substances.

"Pensieve memories," he gasped.

"Lucius and I thought it would be nice to show you our memories of you growing up. Whatever happens, Lucius and I love you, and we wanted you to see how much you have meant to us all these years. I know we haven't always known how to show you, and we made many mistakes with you. But you were a wonderful blessing to us."

Rigel blinked rapidly as tears clouded his eyes. He'd doubted his place in the Malfoy family before, always wondered if he'd been a burden they wished gone.

"We were honored to have you in our lives. I can't imagine a life without you in our family.

"Thank you."

* * *

 **27 December 1997, Lestrange Manor**

"It is him, the Mudblood that stole Andromeda."

Rigel studied the man the Snatchers had captured. He looked ordinary if rather thin. Nothing about him suggested anything interesting about him. Ted Tonks was nothing special yet he'd convinced a Pureblood daughter of the House of Black to marry him and had been captured with a band of other undesirables including several goblins. However unremarkable he seemed, there was something about Ted Tonks that drew people to him.

"We made sure not to hurt him too badly, madam Lestrange. He's fit and healthy like you wanted," Scabior stated. The rest of the snatchers stood behind him, spread out about the entrance hall.

Scabior and his snatchers had captured Ted Tonks and brought him immediately to the manor. Bellatrix had not been there, having left on a hunting trip of sorts with Rodolphus. Upon her return Rigel had retrieved Tonks from the dungeons and displayed him for his mother. Bellatrix had offered a substantial sum for the man she blamed for her family's downfall and Scabior was not the first to try to claim it.

"Your reward," Bellatrix said. She pulled out a pouch of 25,000 Galleons and tossed it over her shoulder. Rigel watched Scabior throw himself to the ground to catch the pouch, clutching it tightly to his chest.

"Thank you, madam."

"Get out," Bellatrix hissed.

Scabior bowed low and scrambled away. Holding the reward tightly to his body, Scabior stepped through his Snatchers, leading them away as they asked for their share of the reward.

"Take him back to the dungeons, give him his own cell this time," Bellatrix ordered.

She spun around, stalking out of the room quickly, her heeled boots clicking on the stone floor. Rigel watched her leave before turning to the unconscious man bound in chains on the floor. He levitated Tonks and took him towards the dungeons.

The cellar beneath Lestrange Manor was extensive. Multileveled and diverse, the cellar's oldest feature was the dungeons. The deepest part of the cellar, the dungeons were large, cold, and dark. A holdover from the manor's days as a castle and fort, the dungeons were still littered with ancient torture devices that nobody had bothered to remove, not when they could still be used.

Currently, the dungeons hosted few prisoners. The wandmaker, Ollivander, was being held for the Dark Lord. The old man had been there for months and remained barely conscious most of the time. Rigel and Narcissa had been called upon to heal the wandmaker several times as the Dark Lord continued to seek answers on his mysterious quest that took him far from Britain.

The next prisoner brought to Lestrange Manor had been Luna Lovegood, a hostage to her father's continued support of the new Ministry regime. The other prisoners included the group Tonks had been captured with, the goblin Griphook and a young mudblood named Dean Thomas. Scabior had explained that several goblins had been part of the group, but they'd died in their attempts to resist capture.

The mudblood Thomas screamed insults at Rigel as he brought Tonks into the dungeons. The prisoners were all being held in the same cell, thought there was certainly room for them to be separated. Rigel thought his parents did it on purpose, to incite fear in all the captives when they ventured into the dungeons, even if they only ever took on prisoner at a time.

Rigel walked past the occupied cell, choosing one several cells down from their captives, and lowered Tonks to the ground. All the cells had chains to hold the prisoners, so Rigel loosely chained Tonks's by his arms.

On his way out of the dungeons, Thomas continued to scream insults at him while Lovegood asked him to calm down. Rigel stopped in front of their cell, wondering what Thomas expected to happen. Did he want to be tortured?

Thomas spat in his direction while Lovegood simply stared at him in vague fascination. He had been to the dungeons only once since Lovegood had been captured and he'd paid them no attention as he led Tonks to Bellatrix. Considering the circumstances, Rigel was surprised by her behavior.

"You still have Wrackspurt all around your head, I think. I can feel them all the over here," Lovegood said. "I don't have my glasses, but you can feel them sometimes, if there's a lot of them. They make your brain fuzzy. You must have a lot of them for me to feel them flying around from so far away."

Rigel started at Lovegood. She'd mentioned those creatures during their previous meeting, but he was surprised she still believed in them. He huffed, not quite believing that such a strange girl could exist and continue to hold onto such beliefs even after what she'd gone through.

"You're a strange girl," Rigel said. He leaned against the bars, focusing on the Ravenclaw girl. She met his eyes with no fear, even smiled slightly at him. She was pale and looked exhausted but she was pretty. Her blond hair reminded him of the Malfoys, as did her blue eyes.

"Thank you," she replied.

Rigel almost laughed at her words. He tilted his head and studied the girl. She'd only been there a week, but she appeared in good spirits even though Rigel knew that Bellatrix had tortured her when she'd first arrived.

Thomas stepped forward, blocking's Rigel's view of Lovegood. For a moment, Rigel stared at him, confused at the Mudblood's heated glare. Then he realized Thomas was weary of his interest in Lovegood. The thought made Rigel queasy. He schooled his expression and stepped away from the bars. He had no intention of harming Lovegood or any of the prisoners.

"Goodbye," Lovegood called out.

Rigel ignored her and hurried away from the dungeons. He knew that several Death Eaters raped their victims, muggle or not, he knew that Rabastan was among them, but he hated that anyone could think him capable of it.

* * *

 **3 January 1998, Lestrange Manor**

"Heal him," Bellatrix ordered as she stepped away from Ted Tonks' unconscious body.

Rigel stepped forward, setting his bag of supplies on the floor as he kneeled down. First, he closed the various cuts along the body. Tonks was nearly naked, only his pants covering him. Bellatrix had taken great joy in carving words into Tonks. Rigel simply closed the cuts and slathered them in Cleansing Paste. Bellatrix liked the scars, but Rigel had to be through lest Tonks develop an infection and die before Bellatrix was finished with him.

Tonks was defiant, constantly refusing to forsake his love for Andromeda Black. His belief in that love, a love that in Bellatrix's mind had stolen her sister from her, had earned Tonks an extended torture. Bellatrix refused to let the Mudblood win and demanded that Rigel heal Tonks whenever he was close to death. She would break him completely before discarding him.

Once the cuts were closed, Rigel covered Tonks' face with Bruise-Healing Paste. The bruises had started to swell his face beyond recognition but it also affected his ability to see. next, Rigel slathered Burn-Healing Paste along Tonks' shoulders and neck. The Mudblood groaned slightly, his body reacting to the cold sensation on his burns. While the paste seeped into Tonks' body, Rigel grabbed the mudblood's head and poured a Blood-Replenishing Potion into his mouth. Tonks coughed, but Rigel held him down, forcing the potion down.

Rigel scowled as Tonks spluttered and dropped the mudblood. Tonks slumped, the chains holding the only thing keeping him from hitting the floor. He checked over Tonks, inspecting the still fresh scars and fading bruises. The potion and pastes had worked perfectly. Satisfied that there was nothing left to heal, Rigel repacked the last his supplies and backed away.

" _Rennervate_ ," Rigel said. Tonks groaned. Rigel had healed this wounds but he had not taken away the pain they caused.

"You've lasted quite a while, Mudblood," Bellatrix said. She held up her knife, watching the blood drip from it. "How much more can you withstand? How much longer will you lie?"

"It-it's n-n-not a lie," Tonks proclaimed. His voice was hoarse from screaming but he refused to break.

Bellatrix sneered and threw the knife. The knife flew perfectly and lodged in Tonks' leg. Tonks screamed, his voice cracking from overuse. Bellatrix advanced slowly, her wand pointing at the knife and twisting it slowly.

With Bellatrix occupied, Rigel left the cell. Bellatrix had paid him little attention since the Snatchers had delivered Tonks to her. She spent hours every day torturing the man she blamed for the start of the Black's downfall and ignored Rigel unless she needed him to heal Tonks.

* * *

 **Thanks for the support guys. Sorry about the wait, the next chapter shouldn't take as long.**


	8. Prisoner Pt 1

**Thanks for the support! This chapter sets up the end of the war and diverges from canon while following the main outline. Also, Hermione will get more and more screen time as we leave canon behind.**

 **No more little background stuff since some of it will be incorporated into the story later. I might just make a separate story to serve as an index of sorts for all the background work about population, money, and culture stuff that's part of this world and often influences the story.**

 **TW: fantasy racism, racial slurs,**

* * *

 **23 March 1998, Lestrange Manor**

"Draco, Rigel, move this scum outside," said Bellatrix, indicating the unconscious men. "If you can't finish them off, leave them in the courtyard. The prisoners can go to the cellar. We can't harm Potter, the Dark Lord wants him for himself."

Rigel watched Bellatrix as she passed about. She was manic, muttering to herself and shaking.

"What are you going on about?" Lucius demanded. "We must call the Dark Lord."

"No! You have no idea of the danger we're in!" shrieked Bellatrix. She kept pacing, stepping around the snatchers on the floor and pausing to study the sword in her hand. A thin stream of fire issued from her wand and burned a hole in the carpet, barely missing a snatcher.

Rigel ignored the argument, waiting Bellatrix to move away from the carpet. It would be easier to move the snatchers if they were all wrapped up in the carpet. Finally, Bellatrix stepped aside, muttering about the sword.

Draco walked around and stood at the opposite side of the carpet. Together they lifted in the air, slowly guiding towards the doors. It was surprisingly easy given the weights they had to balance, but they made it out of the room with little trouble once the door was opened. They left the door open, knowing that they would be expected to return promptly. Bellatrix would likely have further others for them.

"Was that Potter?" Rigel asked. He recognized Weasley and Granger easily enough. Slightly different hair aside, they matched the pictures of their wanted posters, but Potter, if it was truly him, didn't match his. His face was swollen and covered in bruises, even his eyes weren't the simple green they were supposed to be. Bellatrix had suggested a stinging hex by Granger, but Draco had remained hesitant.

"I-I'm not sure," Draco said. He was staring decisively at the carpet, refusing to meet Rigel's eyes. "He didn't look right."

That was true, but Draco's hesitation seemed to go beyond fear of misidentifying Potter. He had been reluctant to identify Weasley and Granger, only agreeing after Narcissa had declared that she was sure it was them.

"Draco, you know what this would mean for us, for our family, don't you?" Rigel asked. he could understand Draco's hesitancy to a degree, but handing Potter to the Dark Lord would not only place them in good graces again, it could potentially end the resistance. There were still pockets of active resistance, the Order's members making stands to save muggles and smuggle mudbloods out.

"I know!" Draco declared. "But I'm not sure. If it's not Potter, we'll be punished, all of us."

Rigel nodded, understanding that while Draco had been spared the Cruciatus, he knew what it did, had seen enough of his father's status to know it would happen if they failed. And Rigel knew Draco worried about Narcissa, he did as well but the opportunity before them was too good to pass up.

"Is that why you hesitated? Draco, this could end the war. If it's truly Potter, if we give him to the Dark Lord, the resistance would lose all hope. They would have nothing to fight for without him."

"If you're so sure it's him, why didn't you say anything?" Draco demanded. "You've seen Potter before, look into his eyes and declare it's him, sentence him to death at the Dark Lord's hand."

Draco flicked his wrist, ending the spell and dropping his half of the carpet. The snatchers hit the ground and rolled over each other onto the courtyard.

Rigel paused. He had never interacted with Potter much, knew him more through a few Quidditch games and stories from Draco. Potter to him, was just an abstract story, not someone he knew. To Draco, Potter was a very real person who he'd known for years and Draco couldn't look at him and decide his fate. Draco had never killed anyone, had not been forced to commit countless atrocities. It was too much to ask him to have an active hand in Potter's death, not when he had known him. However antagonistic their relationship had been, there were years of memories there. Draco didn't care about Potter, but he was simply to connected to act.

"I understand," Rigel said. He thought back to his first kill. In a way, as much as that night haunted him, it was easy to put off, to ignore. The muggle had meant nothing to him, not before and not after. When he thought of what he'd done, he'd thought only of his helplessness, the loss of control, and agency to make his choice. He looked back and chastised himself for being foolish, for using a spell he did not know, for not realizing what he was doing. He hadn't spared a thought to the muggle who had suffered, who'd died screaming at his hand, from a spell he'd cast without a thought. If he'd known what the spell would do, he wouldn't have cast it and that muggle was nothing to him.

It was unfair to ask Draco to take an active part in Potter's eventual death, regardless of what it would mean. Rigel doubted he would have been able to had he been in Draco's shoes. To identify potter was to sentence him to death. They would not cast the spell, but they would be his undoing all the same.

"Are you going to finish them off?" Draco asked.

Rigel looked down at the snatchers. It would be simple to use, quick and painless, certainly better whatever hell Bellatrix would put them through. He raised his wand, preparing himself. It should be easy, kill them, it would show Draco the strength it took, but Rigel couldn't speak. The words echoed around his mind, but he couldn't say them.

"Bellatrix will enjoy finishing them off," he said instead.

Draco stared him for a long moment before nodding. They walked back to the manor in silence. Neither of them willing to talk about their combined failures. They were in the hallway when they heard the unmistakable sound of spells clashing. They took of running, bursting into the drawing room to in time to see Bellatrix holding Granger captive while Potter and Weasley froze.

Potter and Weasley dropped their wands and Draco collected them. Rigel stood off to the side, not far from Bellatrix and her captive. Granger appeared almost unconscious, with blood on her arm and shaking slightly, the clear effect of the Cruciatus.

A slight squeaking sound drew everyone's attention and Rigel looked up to see a house-elf hanging from the chandelier. The chandelier dropped. Bellatrix threw Granger away from her as she sprinted away. Rigel threw himself to the side, ducking behind a table as it hit the ground. The resounding crash sprayed the surrounding area in glass.

Rigel looked around, spotting Weasley tugging Granger away from the crash, towards the house-elf. Bellatrix was screaming, shouting at the elf, but Rigel paid them no mind as he crouched behind the furniture. Weasley and Granger had no wand, but the house-elf had taken Bellatrix's wand along with Narcissa's. Rigel stayed crouched as he advanced slowly. He had to hurry.

Potter joined Weasley, the two of them holding Granger up. The elf joined for them, all the while ranting about friendship. Across the room, Bellatrix screeched. Rigel dove forward, stretching out. His hand grasped a leg and he felt the tugging sensation of apparation.

The room spun and Rigel closed his eyes to avoid getting dizzy. A moment later they were crashing to the ground. Rigel struggled to get to his, sliding on the wet sand, adjusting his grip on his wand he finally stood. They were near the shore somewhere. Granger was on the ground, unconscious by the looks of it. Weasley was getting up, but he had no wand.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Weasley screamed.

Rigel didn't get a chance to answer. A bright light crashed into him and sent him flying. He crashed on the shore, water from the tide sweeping over him. He choked, struggling as water covered his face. He sat up slightly, gasping for air. He looked up and spotted a blond head approaching. Then a bright light hit him.

* * *

Hermione opened her eyes and sat up, a scream forming in her throat until a familiar face appeared. Fleur was sitting beside her bed. Hermione blinked, shaking slightly. She couldn't remember how she got there. All she could remember was pain, Bellatrix's laughter. She vaguely remembered Ron and Harry screaming, trying to get to her, but she didn't know how they got out.

"You are safe now, 'ermione." Fleur said. She held out a glass of water.

Hermione eagerly drank the water, spilling some of it as her hands refused to stop shaking. Her throat hurt. Every part of her seemed to hurt and she could barely control her hands.

"It will wear off soon, you woke earlier than I anticipated," Fleur said. "It's only been an hour. Here, takes this, it will sooth the shaking."

Hermione took the dark vial without question. She knew little about treating the after effects of the Cruciatus, but Fleur seemed to know what to do.

"What happened?" Hermione asked. The potion's effects weren't instant, but she felt a sense of calm as her muscles slowed their spasms. "The last thing I remember is … Harry and Ron, they came back for me."

"Of course. Ze house-elf, Dobby, saved them. First, he brought other prisoners here. Bill and I helped them get settled while we waited for the rest of you. Zen he went back for you, Harry and Ron," Fleur paused looking rather sad. "On ze way back, Bellatrix struck him with a knife, and Rigel managed to grab a hold and was taken along. We've subdued him but Dobby did not survive."

"What others? The goblin?" Bellatrix had not been satisfied with Hermione's answer and summoned a goblin. Not long after, chaos had erupted.

"Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, and Mr. Ollivander were all there. Dobby brought them here first. I 'ave treated them for their injuries, Ollivander and Griphook's the worst."

"Wait, you said Rigel's here?" Rigel and Draco had not been there for her torture. Hermione remembered Bellatrix ordering them to dispose of the Snatchers, they had not yet returned when Bellatrix had called for the goblin.

Fleur nodded. "He grabbed a hold of Ronald as Dobby apparated. He was transported along, but Bill and I managed to subdue him upon landing. Dobby's injuries created a rather rough landing for all and we caught him off guard. But enough about him, we must discuss you. I gave you several potions for pain and muscle problems, zee small cuts are fading from a paste that you can keep applying until zey are gone, but I was unable to do anything about the wound on your arm."

Hermione looked down on her left arm, noting the bandage covering the wound. She didn't need to check to see what was there. Bellatrix had been quite clear about what she was doing, narrating along as she carved the word into her.

"It is dark magic, zere is no hope of removing the scar. It is permanent. If you'd like, I could show you glamor charms to hide it, or pastes zat will do the same," Fleur said. "Ze boys will come see you, zey have been waiting anxiously for you."

Hermione nodded. She leaned back, letting her body relax on the bed. The potion had calmed her muscles, but her mind was still racing. Fleur left the room, leaving her with instructions to call if she needed anything and a reminder to drink more of the potion if she needed.

Fleur had barely left the room when Harry and Ron burst in. They looked tired and Harry looked torn between grief and worry. Dobby had meant a lot to him and knowing Harry, he felt responsible for the elf's death.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Fleur said everything was fine. You're okay now right?" Ron asked. He was the first to reach her, taking the seat Fleur had vacated. He started to lean in, to hug her, or maybe a kiss, but he seemed to lose his will, instead he took her hand. It was nice to see Ron openly caring about her, sometimes she wondered how much she meant to him.

"I'm fine, or I will be soon enough," Hermione said. Harry stood back, looking awkward. "I'm sorry about Dobby."

"We'll get out chance to avenge him," Harry said. His eyes were burning with his anger. Bellatrix had taken someone important to him again. "Actually, we should talk about our next step. I mean, if you're feeling up for it?"

"I am, really I'll be up and about in no time," Hermione said. As devastating as the Cruciatus was, Bellatrix had taken great joy in carving into her. In a way, the physical pain of a knife digging into her had saved her from any prolonged aftereffects of the Cruciatus. "Do you have something in mind?"

"Gringotts. I think the Lestranges's have a Horcrux in their vault, that's why Bellatrix was so terrified of calling him," Harry said.

"That makes sense. She kept asking how we did it, how we got it out. She didn't mention anything else that was in her vault, but she seemed terrified to think we got inside, the sword was just proof that we had," Hermione said. Bellatrix had focused on how they got the sword, refusing to believe it was fake. She didn't care why they had it, only how they got it.

"Yeah, so I was thinking and if she does have a Horcrux in her vault, we have to get into Gringotts. Griphook, the goblin, he's recovering here. I was hoping we could talk him into helping us," Harry replied.

"I'm not sure he'd betray his people for us." Harry started to protest but Hermione held up a hand to stop him. "We might not have done anything to him, Harry, but humans were the ones that tortured him and whatever his reason for leaving Gringotts, we can't expect that he'll betray his people."

"We have to try," Harry said.

"Not like we have other ideas," Ron said. "Though I still think we ought to see if they'd be willing to trade us a Horcrux for Lestrange."

Hermione frowned. She'd forgotten about Lestrange. "What did you do with him anyway?"

"We tied him up, with magic and with some rope, made sure that he couldn't call his house-elf to get him out. Bill was keeping watch over him last I saw. He didn't get a chance to anything before Bill and Fleur took him down, but I'm not sure what we can do with him now that he's here," Harry shrugged. "The Fidelius is tricky."

"Bill and I talked and we're not sure if he knows where we are, or if he could find his back if he left or we let him go. Bill the secret keeper, but I know its location and I gave it to Dobby. With Lestrange tagging along, it's possible he'd be able to find it if he tried," Ron said. "For now, Bill thinks we ought to keep here, or maybe send him along to another Order member. If… if someone gets captured, like Luna did, then we could see about maybe trading him."

"Maybe we could use him to get into the vault," Hermione said.

"It would probably make things easier," Harry said. "First we need to talk to Griphook. Are you okay to come along?"

Hermione paused. She felt weak and exhausted, but the potions had calmed her muscles and dimmed her pain. She could deal with the minor ache long enough to talk to Griphook. "Yeah, just help me up."

Their meeting with Griphook didn't go as planned. Harry had been rather impatient, obviously bothered by his scar and Ron had nearly ended their chances by arguing that goblins should share the secret of their crafts with wizards if they wanted to know about wandlore. In the end, Griphook asked for time.

After speaking with Griphook, Harry rushed to speak with Mr. Ollivander. Only after did he tell Hermione and Ron the whole truth. The Elder Wand was real and Voldemort had taken it from Dumbledore's grave. It was almost impossible for Hermione to believe, but she had no way to dispute it. The thought of Voldemort with the most powerful wand in the world was terrifying, but she supported Harry's decision to focus on the Horcruxes, not matter what Ron said. Without the destroying the Horcruxes, there would be no hope of defeating Voldemort. Legendary wand or not, the Horcruxes were far more valuable to defeating Voldemort.

* * *

Rigel woke up to pain. His mark felt as like it was on fire, a pain so strong it would have hurt less to simple saw his arm off. Groaning slightly, he opened his eyes, blinking rapidly to adjust to the darkness around him. He was lying on his stomach on a cold stone floor. He tried to move and realized that he was restrained. Grunting, he tried to shift, but his body refused to respond. He was immobilized.

He looked around, his eyes scanning the dark room but he could scarcely see. The room was dark, save for a lone candle hanging on the wall far away from him. Judging by the lack of windows, structure pillars and general cold, he was in some sort of cellar. It was devoid of anything that could give its location away, nothing to speak of the identity of its owner.

Minutes passed and still nothing happened. Rigel gave up on trying to move, the ropes were wound tightly around his chest, binding his arms to his side in a rather painful grip. The immobilization charm was strong too, keeping him on his stomach and every breath seemed to tighten the ropes around him.

Finally, Rigel heard movement. A door opened and he heard footsteps as someone descended some stairs. Then the room brightened as several candles flickered on. Rigel blinked rapidly to adjust. He could see his captor now and Rigel scowled at the redhead.

"You're awake. That'll make this easier. I've brought you food." Weasely, the eldest if Rigel was remember correctly, set a small tray of bread and cheese on an old wooden table. Then he used magic to maneuver Rigel into a sitting position on a chair before loosening the immobilization charm. "I'm lowering the charm, don't make any attempt to escape, try to call a house-elf or attack."

There was a threat there, but Rigel didn't care. He had to get out.

"Where am I?" Rigel demanded once he regained control of his mouth.

"I'm not going to unbind your hands, but the food's yours if you want it," Bill said.

"I demand an answer, Weasley!" Rigel growled. He had to get out, get back to his family. His mark was still burning, a reminder of his master's anger. Anger that his family would suffer for.

"You've got 5 minutes to eat, if you don't we've got others who will take your share."

Rigel glared at Bill, the burning in his arm eclipsing everything else. He had no desire to eat, especially if they expected him to eat like an animal and shove his face on the tray. He'd rather die than debase himself like that.

"Suit yourself, you're not getting anything else until tomorrow morning. You're our prisoner now, but unlike your kind, we won't torture you, and you'll get decent food three times a day. Nothing too fancy like I'm sure you're used to, but respectable enough. Learn to behave and we might even let you use your hands," Bill said.

With a flick of Bill's wand, Rigel felt his mouth numbing, a sign of a rather powerful silencing charm. Then his entire body became rigid, immobile, and unable to respond to any commands. Only his eyes remained free. He was forcibly lifted out of the seat and lowered to the floor. He was nearly only a few inches ground when he was dropped the rest of the way, but the tight ropes made it feel like his chest was going to cave in. He groaned, a weak sound dimmed by the immobilization spell. If he could have gasped for air, he would have. The ropes remained as rigid as ever and combined with the burning in his arm had Rigel fighting to stay conscious.

A moment later and he was in the air again. This time, he was dropped on a slightly softer surface. Weasley had dropped some bedding on the ground, a small cushion to serve as a pillow. He could still feel the hardness of the floor beneath, but Weasley at least put his head on the cushion. Then Weasley left, taking the tray of food with him. The candles flared and then blinked out. Rigel could only groan as the pain in his arm flared stronger again.

He had no idea how long he laid there, exhausted and in pain but unable to do anything about it. Eventually, his eyes felt heavy and he started to drift off.

* * *

 **April 5 1998, Shell Cottage**

"I have visited the Lestranges' vault only once," Griphook said, "on the occasion I was told to place inside it the false sword. It is one of the most ancient chambers. The oldest Wizarding families store their treasures at the deepest level, where the vaults are largest and best protected. But before that, you must first convince the goblins to take you there. You will need the boy, Madam Lestrange's son."

"What? Why?" Ron asked.

"You said that he didn't have access to the vault," Hermione said. Initially Harry had wanted to force Lestrange to get the Horcrux out of his family's vault but Griphook had made it clear that he didn't have access. With his parents still alive, Rigel only had access to smaller vaults and could only enter the main vault with permission of his parents, something they'd never done before.

"Young Mister Lestrange doesn't have access to the vault, no, but as a true born Lestrange he can pass any test set out. Normally the only method of identification required is wands," Griphook said.

"We have Bellatrix's wand and Malfoy's," Ron said.

"But they know that," Harry replied.

"Yes," Griphook agreed. "By now the bank will be aware that Madam Lestrange has acquired a new wand and will present another test to anyone carrying her wand."

"I take it, Polyjuice won't fool them?" Hermione said.

"No, it'll be suspected," Griphook paused, looking reluctant to reveal Gringotts information again. "The Lestrange family vault is one of the oldest in Gringotts. It is highly protected and anyone attempting to enter it will be subject to severe scrutiny. They will require a blood test."

"Blood?" Ron asked.

"Polyjuice change blood doesn't it?" Harry turned to Hermione.

"It doesn't, not the version I have," Hermione said. "Blood magic is complex, dangerous, and dark, Harry. It's nearly impossible to change your blood. The only way I know of is through a special version of Polyjuice potion. It's brewed differently and requires multiple samples of the intended target's blood."

"Can't we do that then? Use Lestrange's blood?" Ron asked. "You know he'll never help us."

"Even if I knew how to make it and could brew it properly it takes months to brew," Hermione said. A book at Grimmauld Place had the recipe and brewing instructions but Hermione had left it behind. It was a dark book that offered no information on Horcruxes so she'd never packed it.

"We need him," Griphook said.

"The goblins won't except Bellatrix to take the test?" Harry asked.

"To ask for such a test of someone of Madam Lestrange's status is a grave insult," Griphook said. He turned to Hermione, his dark eyes gleaming. "You will refuse, but offer up her son."

"Won't they know that he's our captive?" Hermione asked.

"They might, but it is a risk you will have to take if you wish to enter the vault," Griphook said. "It would be an embarrassment for the Lestrange family to have their heir captured by the rebels. They might keep that information quite."

"Lestrange won't help us," Harry stated.

"You must find a way," Griphook said.

"We'll see what we can do," Harry said.

Harry nodded to Griphook and stood up. Together, Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the small room and climbed down the stairs. The living room was empty as the various inhabitants of the cottage, apart from Olivander, walked by the beach.

"He's mental," Ron declared.

"We could try the Imperius," Harry suggested.

"Harry, he's a Death Eater, he's bound to know more about that curse than any of us and likely how to counter it," Hermione said.

"We don't have other options," Harry said. "What else is there? He'll never help willingly. We have nothing to offer him and he's terrified of Vo-, of You-Know-Who."

Hermione took a deep breath and glared at Ron to keep him quite. In the time they'd been at Shell Cottage, Harry had nearly said the name twice, despite knowing it was cursed. After years of speaking it, when he was excited or angered, Harry barely refrained from finishing it.

"He's terrified of You-Know-Who but he cares about the Malfoys. I saw him take blame to spare Lucius from the Cruciatus. Even if we could offer him freedom, a chance to escape the Death Eaters, he won't take it." Harry explained.

"It doesn't change the fact that he's much more experienced with Unforgiveables than us," Hermione replied.

"We have to try. If it doesn't work, if he can resist than he'll stay tied up and we'll find another way," Harry said.

"What if he plays along, acts like it works until he's free and then attacks. Or calls his house-elf. House-elves aren't bound by the Fidelius, not like humans. If summoned by their master, house-elves can apparate to locations under the Fidelius with no problem and once they've arrived they can come and go, even bring others with them if their master orders them. If he gets free and calls his house-elf, Bellatrix and the others will find us before we can get away," Hermione said.

"I know, but we don't have a choice," Harry said. "You heard Griphook, it's the only way."

"Ze only way for what?" It was Fleur. She stepped into the room, shrugging off a light coat. The trio glanced at each other, wondering how much she'd heard.

"Fleur, we, er …" Harry trailed off.

"I 'eard you about Rigel, but I do not understand what you plan," Fleur said.

"We need his help," Hermione said. "But we know he won't help and we can't trust him even if he agreed."

Fleur glanced between the three of them. Her beautiful face was impassive but her eyes were hard. She didn't approve. "You wish to use ze Imperius on Rigel."

"We don't have a lot of options," Ron said.

"Rigel is a powerful wizard, 'e will not be easy to control," Fleur said. "But you are desperate, you need him. Why?"

"It's a secret," Harry said.

Fleur stared skeptically at them. "You will not tell me why?"

"No," Harry said.

"Very well zen. I will not stop you, but Bill and I should be there. We will need numbers in case he resists," Fleur said.

"Yeah, definitely," Harry said.

Fleur nodded and left to get Bill. Hermione grabbed her wand, or rather Bellatrix's wand. She had used it to cast several small spells, but it still did not yield. The spells worked, but they were difficult to control and lacked the power her spells had possessed before.

"How are we going to do this?" Ron asked.

Ron and Harry looked to Hermione. She shook her head. "No, I can't. I've never used it before and I doubt I could with this wand."

"It's just a wand," Ron said.

"This is Bellatrix's wand and you want me to use it to cast an Unforgiveable on her son? I can barely cast simple spells with it," Hermione replied.

"I'll do it," Harry said.

The door burst open and Bill stepped, Fleur at his heels. Both looked rather cross.

"You want to use the Imperius on Rigel?" Bill glanced between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Even if you could cast it successfully on him, you don't know how long it would last. He could play along until the opportune moment and attack."

"We know the risks," Hermione said. She understood Bill's anger, but Harry was right. They needed Griphook's help and Griphook made it clear Lestrange's help was needed. "We wouldn't do this if there was another way."

"You need him to enter a vault don't you?" Bill asked.

"We need something from Bellatrix's vault. It's important, we need it to win, but we can't tell you what it is or what it does," Harry said.

Bill and Fleur exchanged a glance. "All right, we should do this now, while the others are out," he said.

"I will go first," Fleur said.

Fleur spun around and opened the door towards the cellar. Harry and Ron followed her, leaving Bill and Hermione behind.

"I hope you three know what you're doing," Bill said as he started down the stairs.

Hermione didn't reply. They had no idea what they were doing. For months they'd wandered around trying to destroy a Horcrux before finally succeeding. And they had just bargained away their only known way of destroying Horcruxes for the chance to find more of them. They were running on luck and faith.

The cellar of Shell Cottage was tiny with a low ceiling only a few inches about Bill's head. To make room for the captive, Bill and Fleur had cleared away the cellar shelves, leaving the room bare except for the chair that Rigel Lestrange was tied to. Bound by ropes, a gag, and magic, Lestrange was immobile apart from his eyes which circled between the room's occupants.

For a moment nobody moved. Then Harry stepped forward.

" _Imperio_ ," Harry said. Bill flicked his wand, ending the body-bind. "Blink your eyes four times."

Lestrange twitched before straining against the ropes. He growled slightly, muffled by the gag but the intent was obvious. Harry's _Imperio_ hadn't worked. Lestrange glared at Harry and relaxed against the ropes. He looked smug as he leaned back against the chair. He knew they needed him for something and they would have to bargain.

"We're going to take the silencing charm off you now. Don't try anything," Harry warned.

Bill waited for a moment before flicking his wand to release the charm. Then, Fleur stepped forward and carefully removed the gag on Lestrange. He stared at Fleur intently, their blue eyes locked until she stood up.

"Legilimency is different for Veelas," Fleur said as she backed away. She smiled slightly, apparently amused by his attempt to read her mind.

Bill looked far from amused. He glared intently at Lestrange but the Slytherin ignored him. Instead, Lestrange smirked at Harry. For a captive he was confident to the point of smugness. It was irritating.

"So who is it?" Lestrange asked. "Tell me it's not a Weasley. I'm worth ten of you."

"We need to enter your parents' Gringotts vault," Harry said before Ron could lash out.

"You want to steal from my family?" Lestrange scowled.

"It's not gold we're after," Harry said. "Your Master, he gave them something important to store in the vault. We need it and you're going to help us get it."

"Even if I wanted to help you, I can't get into that vault."

"You can't, but Bellatrix can and she could give you access," Harry replied.

Lestrange stared at Harry. He was clearly confused. "And how do you plan to get her to do that?"

"She won't, but I will," Hermione said. Lestrange turned to her, his eyes scrutinizing her. "Polyjuice."

"Then what do you need me for?" Lestrange asked.

"I have her wand," Hermione said. Lestrange glanced at the wand briefly before turning away. "But by now she'll have warned them of someone trying to get into her vault. We need you to pass any tests they may try."

"Help us, get us into that vault and we'll let you go," Harry said. It was the only offer they had.

Lestrange looked around the room. His face betrayed no emotion. "I'll help you get to the vault and you'll let me go, with my wand, and no attempt to stop me?"

"Yes," Harry said.

"Swear it, an Unbreakable Vow," Lestrange demanded.

"We'll think about it," Bill cut in before Harry could respond. He flicked his wand and Lestrange stiffed in his the chair. Lestrange's blue eyes glared daggers at Bill, but he couldn't speak anymore.

"Bill, it's our decision," Harry said.

"Upstairs, now," Bill said.

"I will stay," Fleur said. She held her hand up to stop Bill's protest. "He is bound and silenced. He is no threat to me."

Bill hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. With one last look at Lestrange, they trotted up the stairs. As soon as the door to the cellar was closed, Bill exploded.

"You can't be considering it!" Bill screamed. "It's absolutely ridiculous. He's a Death Eater, you can't trust his word."

"An Unbreakable Vow would bind him too," Hermione said. It was dangerous, but they needed to get into the vault.

"Only two people enter the Vow, anymore and you risk the spell backfiring and killing everyone. Harry, Lestrange will demand you make the Vow, that your bind yourself."

"His life would be on the line too," Harry replied.

"He's a Death Eater, one who has fought multiple times. He's our prisoner, his life is already out of his control. An Unbreakable Vow is a small chance to pay to deliver Harry Potter's body to his master," Bill said.

"He can't risk that," Hermione said. "Vol- You-Know-Who wants Harry alive. At the manor, they could have easily killed Harry, but they waited to call their master. He wants to kill Harry himself. Lestrange isn't risking anything."

"We need to get into the vault," Ron said.

"Say that you do, that Lestrange fulfills his end of the bargain, will you really be able to stand by and let him go, knowing that he will return to his family, that he will return to fighting for his master, to committing atrocities in his name?"

"It's our only option," Harry said.

Bill sighed. Hermione understood Bill's hesitation but they were running out of time and options. They had wasted so much time after capturing the locket. They'd spent months wandering around while Voldemort and his forces only grew in numbers and strength. They couldn't afford to wait much longer.

"Fine, but I will cast the spell, decide the wording," Bill said.

* * *

The moment the door slammed closed, Rigel heard raised voices. He couldn't make out the words but his captors were clearly arguing. Fleur looked towards the door for a moment before moving to stand in front of him.

"I was surprised when I heard you had joined zee Death Eaters," Fleur said. "When I was at Hogwarts, I recall you defending from your housemates who thought me a half-breed. You dismissed your uncle's letter insisting you find a suitable date to the Yule Ball. I did not think you interested in the Death Eaters or their rhetoric."

Rigel stared at Fleur. She was watching him, her gaze soft and relaxed. She didn't fear him, nor did she seem to hate him for his actions. Rigel said nothing. His fifth year at Hogwarts felt so far away.

"You defied your uncle, and yet you joined an organization that not only champions those beliefs but is set on destroying anyone who does not meet their standards. I suppose you parents were very convincing."

Rigel said nothing. He had not known Fleur's heritage when he approached her. At first, it had been only rumors, rumors he'd ignored. Then came Skeeter's article, he'd ignored that too. Skeeter was a gossip, but primarily a liar known to twist the truth into whatever she thought would sell more papers. He'd never dared to ask Fleur for a conformation and he'd ignored Lucius' letters.

"I suppose I cannot fault you for choosing your family," Fleur said. "Though I was hurt that you never once wrote, not even to tell me you no longer wished to have anything to do with me."

Rigel stared at Fleur, his mind racing. He had put Fleur out of his mind once he began his training. There had been no room for Fleur when his mind was consumed with improving, determined to show that he was worthy of the legacy that weighed him down.

The door opened and Rigel looked to see Potter and Granger leading the Weasleys down the stairs. The group seemed quite determined, if not at ease. Fleur flicked her wand and Rigel felt the silencing charm lift.

"I'll make the Vow with you," Potter stated.

"Let's talk terms them. You unbind me, none of this tying me up, no silencing either. I get my wand back as well," Rigel stated.

"You won't get your wand, not until we reach the bank but you'll be free to move," Potter said.

"Fine, but you'll swear not to place me under another bind or another silencing spell. And when I've done my part, gotten you to the vault, you'll let me walk away, no trying to stop me, and neither will your lackeys," Rigel said glancing pointedly at Granger and Weasley. "And I get something proper to sleep on, not just bedding on the floor."

"You'll get all of us _into_ the vault and help us get what we want. After we have what we want, you'll leave without interfering or trying to hurt Harry, Ron, or myself. You'll walk away," Granger countered. "You'll be free to roam around the house but you won't call your house-elf, contact any of your family, or make any more to alert anyone of your status, location, or anything about us. No passing information or trying to escape."

"No trying to read anyone's mind. You'll be under watch outside of this room, and you won't go outside the house unless given permission and accompanied by at least 2 people," added Fleur's husband. "At night, you'll be locked in here."

"Fine, but none of you will attack me," Rigel said.

"That's too vague and involving too many people," Bill said. "A compromise, Harry swears to not allow anyone to harm you and you'll swear to not attack anyone either. You have nothing to fear from us, we're not like your people."

Rigel scowled. He didn't like many of those rules, but he had no choice. He couldn't see a loophole, but either way, it was his only chance. The Death Eaters weren't one to take prisoners, it was likely that he would remain their prisoner for quite a long time if he didn't take the deal.

"It's a deal then," Rigel said. "Release me, binding magic will invalidate the Vow."

Fleur stepped forward, flicking her wand. The ropes holding him down slacked and slowly fell off him. Then the heavy invisible weight on his legs disappeared, the magic tying him to the chair fading.

Rigel tested his limbs, rotating his wrists slowly as his captors spread out. Fleur remained in front of him, while the youngest Weasley stepped around him to stand behind him. It was clear that if he tried anything they would take him down. As if he would be foolish enough to try to attack them when they had just given him the key to his freedom. Helping Potter was a small price to pay for freedom. He would worry about the Dark Lord's reaction later, when he was free.

He stood up slowly, making sure they wouldn't mistake any movements as threats.

"Let's get this over with then," Rigel said.

He held out his right arm, smirking at Potter. Potter hesitated a moment before gripping Rigel's arm. Older Weasley stepped forward, casting the binding ropes over their joined arms. Weasley began speaking, reciting the words to bind Rigel and Potter for the next few days. Rigel smiled at the weary look on Potter's face.

"It's done," Bill said.

Rigel and Potter stared at each other. There was nothing that indicated they'd just made an Unbreakable Vow. They would feel nothing unless they tried to go against the terms of the vow. Finally Potter looked away.

"We should get started planning, with Griphook," Potter said. "Don't do anything to anger him."

"I have no quarrel with him, it's more likely he's got one with me given his previous captivity," Rigel said. He had never partaken in torturing the captives at the manor, but he had certainly never freed them or done anything to ease their suffering. It would have been a mistake to aid them in any way, but he expected that the captives would be resentful.

"Let's go," Potter ordered.

Rigel frowned. He'd spent several days tied down, barely eating and forced to relief himself in his clothes before being scrugified clean. It'd had been humiliating. Mostly, Rigel was hungry. He'd never gone without food before and his pride had kept him from eating most of the time they brought him food. Fleur had been kind enough to bring him a soup he could sip when it was her turn to give him his meals but Bill, Thomas, and Potter had brought him food and expected him to eat it without freeing his hands. Rigel had refused to eat like an animal.

"Ze planning can wait, Rigel needs new clothes, a chance to wash and some proper food," Fleur said.

"We have t-"

"Planning can wait, we should give him some time," Granger said.

The two Weasleys shrugged and Potter gave in.

"Fine, but tomorrow we start," Potter said. He and his lackeys headed up the stairs leaving Rigel alone with Fleur and her husband.

"Go, I will help him get settled in," Fleur said. Bill hesitated. "The Vow will not allow him to harm me and someone ought to speak with the others, let them know what we've agreed to."

Finally, Bill nodded and followed the others up the stairs. For a moment, Fleur and Rigel remained silent. Rigel sat down; he'd gotten little sleep over the past days. Nightmares tormented him and the silencing and immobilization charms kept him from even reacting properly to them. He slept only when his body could no longer stay awake.

"What would you like to do first? I can find some clothes for you, or perhaps you would like some food? I know you have not eaten much," Fleur said.

"A bath would be nice," Rigel said. The he remembered that he had agreed to be watched every moment he was outside the cellar. "Am I allowed to go to a bathroom alone? Or shall I have an escort? Or perhaps I'm expected to just use the sea? I could hear the ocean so we must be close to it."

Fleur frowned at his tone. "If you need to relieve yourself, you can go alone, but baths are longer, you would have to be watched. Or I can bring you water and transfigure something into a tub here to give you privacy. No one will begrudge you privacy, but we have risks to assess."

Rigel started at her. She appeared honest, though he could not claim to know her enough to be able to tell and Legilimency apparently worked differently for her so even if he'd been inclined to rea her mind, it would be useless. That reminded him, he owed her an apology.

"I'm sorry about before, I shouldn't have tried to read your mind," Rigel said. "It was wrong, I should have never tried."

"Apology accepted. I understand this is an unusual situation, now what would you prefer?" Fleur asked.

Rigel considered her offer. He wanted a bath and he was sick of the cellar. A lack of privacy didn't particularly bother him, not with Fleur at least. They'd slept together the night of the Yule Ball.

"I'd like to leave this room, so the bathroom it is. You'll be there?" He wasn't comfortable being naked with the others in the house, not when he had no wand. Potter had sworn to keep him from harm, but that didn't guarantee that the others wouldn't try something. It wouldn't break the vow if they did something behind his back.

"No one will harm you," Fleur said. "But yes, will accompany you."

Rigel nodded. They ascended the stairs slowly, Fleur leading the way. Rigel wondered if she did it on purpose, to test his resolve or she simply saw no need to hold him at wand point.

They arrived at a small sitting room where Granger and the two Weasleys were waiting. All three held their wands in their hands, looking surprised to see Rigel following Fleur. He spared them a glance before turning to the nearest window. The sun was setting over the sea on the horizon.

"Fleur?"

"He is no threat, Bill," Fleur said. "Zere is no reason for you all to be here."

"Are you sure?" Granger asked.

Rigel kept his back to them. He stood rigid as he stared out the window. He could feel their eyes on him, as if waiting for him to strike.

"I'm fine. Bill, Rigel needs new clothes, he should not remain in zee same robes."

There was a pause and then Bill spoke.

"Okay."

There was movement and Rigel turned to see his would-be guards leaving. They all headed up the stairs, each looking back.

"Zis way, there's a bathroom here zat you can use," Fleur said.

The bathroom was smaller than he was used to, but there was room enough for two people without them being pressed together. There was a small tub against the wall underneath a window and long countered across from it. Fleur flicked her wand, turning on the faucet.

Rigel tugged at his robes, pulling them over his head. He pushed his boxers down and slide into the tub with a content sigh. The water was warm and Rigel closed his eyes as he settled down. Part of him wondered who else had used the tub, whether it was clean, but mostly he didn't care.

Fleur handed him some soup and settled on the counter across from the tub. Rigel barely spared her a glance as he washed himself. She didn't speak, for which he was grateful and spent the time knitting something.

There was a knock on the door and Fleur answered quickly. She poked her head out, keeping the door close to give him some privacy. There was a muffled voice and then Fleur closed the door. She held some clothing in her arms, all dark colors.

"We will have to adjust zem, but they will be better than your current robes. I can have them washed if you'd like, but I do not think it wise to wear them until zey are needed," Fleur said.

Rigel nodded. The robes weren't Death Eater robes, but they were fine robes, clearly belonging to someone with wealth. Given that all the occupants of the house seemed to wear some type of muggle clothing, he would have looked extremely out of place.

* * *

 **Hope you guys liked it! Next chapter was going to cover the actual break-in itself, but there's a lot of character interactions that I want to cover so that's been pushed back. There are so many characters in the cottage right now that have barely had scenes and I really want to explore.**

 **I hope that you'll like the expanded cast and while I don't think I'll go beyond Rigel and Hermione's POVs, I do plan to include other characters more. The expanded focus on Hermione also gives more time to Harry and Ron, but I do want to get more characters involved. I know it's been Malfoy heavy for a quite a bit and I want to include more of the Order and others.**

 **Anyway, let me know what you guys think or if you have any questions.**


	9. Prisoner Pt 2

**Glad you guys are liking things. I didn't actually get to include as much character stuff as I wanted, mostly because I had a hard time writing Luna and Dean. Dean cause I know so little about him and Luna cause I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do with her so she has a small part instead of the large part I wanted. I hope that I'll be able to expand on Luna later on. There's not a lot of Harry and Ron, they got sidelined cause I focused on Hermione, Rigel, and Fleur. Those three, plus Bellatrix, have been the most interest write so far. I expect that Harry's role will expand as we progress, but Ron I think will always be a tertiary character, not involve enough to really be a secondary character.**

 **TW: fantasy racism, racial slurs,**

* * *

The days following the Vow were awkward and tense. Luna had no problem with Lestrange and expressed happiness when they told her that he would be allowed to move about the cottage. Dean was angry, but he respected their decision when Harry explained that he needed Lestrange's help and there was no way to acquire it without giving him some freedom.

The biggest source of tension was rather mundane. Lestrange was an early riser and indulged in long baths whenever possible. The cottage wasn't very large and full to the brim. The four bedrooms were occupied leaving Harry, Ron, and Dean to sleep in the sitting room. The boys hadn't minded, but there'd been arguing when Lestrange had banged on the door of the cellar to be let out early the first morning.

Fleur, an early riser herself, had taken to unlocking the door when she had her breakfast, usually inviting Lestrange along. Hermione had taken to waiting for them to finish before heading downstairs. She'd been having trouble sleeping since their escape, her dreams haunted by Bellatrix. Still, Hermione had no desire to interact with Lestrange unless necessary for their planning.

Meals were crowed, but Griphook and Ollivander remained in their rooms, and Lestrange preferred to take food to the cellar than eat with them. Hermione wasn't sure if it was his choice or something Fleur and Bill had suggested. She couldn't imagine them sharing a meal with Lestrange without a fight breaking out.

For the most part, Lestrange spent his time outside the cottage, walking along the beach or sitting on the cliff overlooking the sea. Fleur was his most frequent guard, when she wasn't helping Griphook or Ollivander, she was escorting Lestrange around. From what Hermione observed, they held some conversations, but mostly she saw them sitting in silence, Lestrange reading while Fleur worked knitting, reading, or cooking. Lestrange and Fleur seemed comfortable with each other. Fleur wasn't a pureblood but she'd grown up knowing she was a witch, raised around magic by wealthy parents. Lestrange and Fleur were familiar with each other. If it bothered Bill that his wife was spending so much time with her boyfriend, he didn't let it show, at least not that Hermione could see.

As for the planning, it was still ongoing. As much as they wanted to hurry, they had to be careful. Griphook constantly impressed upon them the gravity of what they were attempting. He was insistent that they plan every little moment, even demanding they practice their charade for him. It made for awkward moments as Lestrange tried to explain how his mother would behave. He was reluctant, giving the shortest answered whenever they asked.

"We need more than that," Harry said.

"We know she's arrogant, that she thinks low of goblins, and hasn't been to Gringotts in years. We're not getting anywhere," Hermione said.

Lestrange shrugged. "I don't know what you expect. She doesn't leave the manor, not unless she's on a mission for the Dark Lord. I have no idea what she would do in Diagon Alley, or how she would behave at Gringotts beyond telling you she has no patience and would react violently to any perceived insults."

"You're supposed to be helping us plan this," Harry said.

"This is pointless, it doesn't matter how you behave, the goblins have not seen Bellatrix in years, even if they remember interacting with her, it would have been before Azkaban. The bigger question is how all of you are going to get to the bank. They might believe that Bellatrix would bring me to the bank while she visits the main vaults, but unless you have a sample from Narcissa, there is no way for the rest of you to get in," Lestrange said with a pointed look at Harry and Ron.

"We can say we're new recruits, use glamor charms to hide our appearance. They won't test us, not once you pass their tests," Ron said.

"Bellatrix hates Snatchers and recruits, she would never tolerate their presence let alone bring them to Gringotts. There is no way for you both to get through, you won't be able to fool the goblins and you'll ruin everything. It would be easier if it was just Granger and I."

"Not happening," Ron said.

"I need to be there, Hermione won't know what to get," Harry added.

"Are you so stupid you can't describe a simple object?" Lestrange demanded.

"It's not that simple," Hermione said. She knew what to expect, Harry was sure it was the cup or but if it was the other unknown Horcrux they had no hope of detecting it without Harry. He could sense them, would know what it was, but Hermione had no such ability and they couldn't risk her taking the wrong item.

Lestrange scowled. "Then we've reached an impasse. Bellatrix barely tolerates anyone outside the family. She would never allow them to accompany her to Gringotts."

"Why does it matter? It's not like anyone's gonna ask her why she has others with her," Ron said.

"And if someone does? What if there's someone there who knows her? Bellatrix might not like to make use of the exoneration she received from the Ministry, but others do. Rodolphus and Rabastan go to Diagon Alley. They could be there, or another Death Eater. What then?"

"He's right. Few purebloods bring non-family members along to their vaults. Madam Lestrange accompanied by someone outside the family would be highly suspicious," Griphook said.

"Maybe there is another way," Hermione said.

"The simplest solution is the best, you and I go to Gringotts, they stay behind, we go in, get your prize, and meet up later. I go free, the goblin gets whatever you promised him, and you three can go on your way," Lestrange stated.

"What? No I'm not staying behind!" Ron shouted.

"Not like you'd be of any use anyway," Lestrange said.

Ron scowled and jumped to his feet. Hermione grabbed his arm and stopped him from advancing. Harry stood up and stepped between Ron and Lestrange. It was something they'd been expecting. Lestrange was often scathing in his assessment of their plan and abilities, but while Hermione and Harry usually ignored him, Ron always took it to heart. It had been only a matter of time for Ron to lose his temper.

"Stop it, both of you!"

"I haven't done anything," Lestrange claimed.

"We should take a break," said Hermione before Ron could counter. It would solve their problem, but she understood Ron's anger. She couldn't imagine being asked to remain behind while her best friends went on a dangerous mission with a Death Eater.

"Fine," Ron scowled. He yanked his arm away from her and stormed out. Hermione and Harry exchanged looks.

"I'll talk to him," Harry said. "You can escort Lestrange out."

Hermione nodded. She had not interacted with Lestrange outside of their planning meetings. Fleur and Bill were his usual guards and Hermione had made it a point to avoid him.

"Let's go," Hermione said.

Lestrange nodded and left the room. Hermione followed him, keeping a tight grip on her wand. He'd made no attempt at escaping or attacking anyone but she remained on guard. Intellectually she knew that if he made any such attempts, he would be forfeiting his life, but she couldn't help but feel weary around him. He was Bellatrix's son. No matter his behavior, her blood ran through him and he was a Death Eater.

They reached the ground floor, finding it empty. Hermione held back a frown. Fleur was not around and she couldn't leave Lestrange alone. As much as she wanted to be rid of his presence, it would have been cruel to send him to the cellar. It was bad enough he had little to no privacy, she couldn't expect him to remain locked up.

They stood awkwardly in silence, neither sure of what to do. After a moment, Lestrange sat down. There was nothing for them to do. Hermione scanned the room again, hoping that someone would appear. The others were probably outside. It had rained the past several days, and the bright sun outside had to be appealing. The weather was growing warmer, spring taking over.

When no one showed up, she sat across from him. Lestrange had his eyes closed, leaning back in the sofa. He must have bene tired, the bag under eyes his obvious. Hermione wondered if he slept at all in the cellar, if something haunted his dreams as well. Harry had seen Voldemort torturing the Malfoys, Bellatrix, Greyback, and Pettigrew for the escape. It was easy to imagine Lestrange knew of it, Fleur had mentioned that his Dark Mark had burned for the first few days, days when Harry experienced headaches and flashes of Voldemort's anger and the torture he inflicted on his followers.

"Can you make Dreamless Sleep?"

Hermione blinked. Given the situation with so many recovering from captivity, Hermione had refused Dreamless Sleep. Bill and Fleur had very little of the potion and with the war, Hermione had decided that they ought to save as much as they could. Mr. Ollivander took some at night; he'd experienced the worst of the captives according to Luna and Dean.

"I could if I had the ingredients," Hermione said.

"You don't have any on you? I heard Potter and Weasley talking about that bag of yours, about all that it holds," Lestrange said.

"I only had a little of it and we already used it up. I didn't make more, I needed to conserve ingredients and never got a chance to get more," Hermione explained. She wondered what he dreamed off that he wanted the potion.

Lestrange started at her, likely judging if she was lying. He nodded slightly, apparently satisfied with her answer. They lapsed into silence. Hermione kept looking around, there seemed to be nobody in the house. The others must have gone to the shore. She considered asking Lestrange if he wanted to go out there, it would be easier to get someone else to guard him.

"Want to go outside?" she asked.

"No."

Hermione frowned. "I thought you liked going outside. You spend most of your time there."

"It's easier to avoid all of you outside. There's not need to leave if they're all out there."

Hermione huffed, annoyed with him. She didn't want to spend her day babysitting him. They should have agreed to let him wander about without an escort. With the Vow, he would forfeit his life if he tried to escape, contact anyone outside, or hurt anyone inside the property. There was little reason to keep him under constant guard.

Lestrange started taping his boot, slowly at first then picking up speed. Then he started taping his fingers on the sofa's arm. He was restless, she realized. She knew he was an athlete, had seen him jogging under Fleur and Bill's eyes. He's not used to long periods of inactivity and they're refused to allow him to fly despite his assurances that he'd not looking to kill himself by flying away.

Hermione resolved to wait. He was bored and likely full of pent up energy. He had not left he cottage with the rain and so had no outlet for his apparently boundless energy. From Hermione's observations he woke early and if the boy's complaints were true, stayed up late, making noise in the cellar. Fleur had transfigured the cellar into a proper room and to appease Lestrange's desire to fly they had allowed him an old quaffle. The boys sleeping in the living room had complained that he spent his evenings bouncing the quaffle against the ceiling or perhaps the walls. The noise had kept them up several nights but they didn't want to cast a silencing charm lest he try something.

She didn't wait long. Lestrange finally seemed to lose his patience. He stood abruptly and started towards the door to the cellar. Hermione watched him, surprised by his decision. She'd expected him to go outside. His choice to go into the cellar also forced her to remain in place. He could remain alone in the cellar, but if he wanted to leave, he would need a guard and with everyone outside, it was Hermione's responsibility to watch over him.

Annoyed, Hermione followed Lestrange. If she was going to be stuck guarding him, he would be annoyed as well, besides she had questions for him. She found Lestrange lying on the makeshift bed they'd provided for him. He was playing catch with the old quaffle. He looked up briefly at her, then returned his attention to the quaffle.

"Do you need something Granger?"

"You're not holding your part of the bargain," Hermione said.

"I'm helping you plan, what more do you need?"

"You avoid answering our questions, provide no useful information, and spend your time belittling us and the plan."

"The plan is foolish and more likely to get us all killed then actually succeed."

"Harry needs to be there," Hermione stated. "And for all that he agreed with you, I'm not sure Griphook would be fine staying behind."

"The goblin's not stupid, he'll agree to whatever works best, assuming he values his payment."

Griphook valued his payment very much and had already backed Lestrange's plan. As much as Hermione didn't want to agree with him, Lestrange had a point. Too many people would attract far too much attention. The only problem was the Horcrux. Harry would know what it was, at least they expected he would. Without him, Hermione had no way to be sure what the Horcrux was.

"Going alone isn't an option, Harry has to come and if he does, Ron has to as well," she stated. Lestrange started to protest, but she kept going. "It's not up for discussion; all three us are going, plus Griphook. You can disagree all you want, it's happening, and you have to work with it."

Lestrange sat up, swinging his feet over the edge and laying the quaffle on the bed. He looked annoyed, then he shrugged.

"Fine, but be prepared for it to fail."

"It's a risk we have to take, but it's less likely to fail if you actually give us useful information and stop trying to goad Ron into attacking you."

"Don't need to do much for that, _your_ boy is an idiot," Lestrange sneered.

Hermione felt a blush working its way up her neck and face. Ron had been rather affectionate since she'd recovered, they'd kissed a few times, but she didn't realize anybody other than Harry had noticed.

"Don't insult him," she replied.

"You are actually with him?" Lestrange asked incredulously.

"I'm sure it offends your pureblood sensitivities, but we're not discussing my relationship with Ron."

"It's not about blood status, I'm just surprised. By all accounts, you're intelligent, despite Snape's favoritism, Draco still came in second in potions to you, not an easy feat. You could do better than him. As for blood status, the Weasels are the lowest of purebloods, half-breeds carrying the line is nothing."

"Do _not_ use zat word!"

Hermione looked back to see a seething Fleur at the top of the stairs. Fleur clutched the railing, her eyes burning with rage. Hermione realized that as part Veela, Fleur had probably been called a half-breed before, and would be sensitive to the word even if it wasn't being used against her. Lestrange had been talking about halfbloods, using a vulgar pureblood term, but surely Fleur had heard that word about herself before. Hermione didn't feel struck by it, she'd been expecting Lestrange's insults for days, the only surprise came from how long it took. Though she hadn't expected him to attack her for tainting a pureblood line he despised. Hermione looked back at Lestrange, he'd stood up, meeting Fleur's glare. Then he bowed his head.

"My apologies," he said. It sounded oddly sincere. "I-I didn't realize … I shouldn't have used that word. I shouldn't have said that at all."

Fleur stared at him for a long moment before nodding. "Hermione, 'Arry and Ron are looking for you, zey are with Griphook."

Hermione nodded. She glanced between the still raging Fleur and Lestrange. He appeared remorseful, whether it was at his prejudice or that Fleur had overheard, Hermione couldn't say. After a moment, she ascended the stairs, slipping past Fleur.

* * *

"Would you use zat word to describe me?"

Fleur was livid. She was clutching the railing, her eyes blazing with anger. Even her skin seemed to glow with her rage.

"No," Rigel whispered.

"Why? Your family beliefs zat muggleborns equal to _half-breeds_ ," Fleur sneered. "Ze word applies to me before anyone else here."

Rigel stared at the ground.

"Do you think of me as a half-breed? Certainly your family has a clear reputation with regards to anyone less than pureblood. Did you know what I was when you approached me? Did you realize you were pursuing a _half-breed_?"

"I didn't," Rigel admitted. "It was just a rumor at first, likely the words of jealous school girls. Skeeter's article gave me doubts, but you'd be a fool to believe her. And you were witty, and charming, and kind beneath the icy exterior. I couldn't imagine you were a..."

"A monster? A half-breed?" Fleur offered. "When did you realize you were consorting with a half-breed?"

"Lucius wrote to me. He had contacts on the continent, they passed along your grandmother's true nature. Lucius was livid, demanded I end any association with you. He couldn't believe I let myself be enthralled by a … by a creature. I almost did it," Rigel said. "I couldn't reconcile what I knew of you with the truth. I couldn't see you as a monster. And I didn't want to believe that I was being manipulated, or at the mercy of your charms."

"Veela charms are not conscious actions and you were never under their influence. Zat is why I agreed to attend zee ball with you. Unlike zee other boys who approached me, you kept your brains, saw beyond my beauty," Fleur said. "Why did you disobey your uncle? Certainly he was only reiterating beliefs that had already been ingrained in you since childhood."

"It didn't seem right. I-I cared about you. I couldn't see you as a monster."

"I'm special am I? And what of others? Do you not see the wrongness of it? You cannot be so foolish to have questioned you family's teachings? You are smart; you must see the fallacy of those teachings. If you can see me as a person worthy of basic respect and dignity, zan you must see zat heritage, blood status, are not indicators of a person's worth."

Rigel didn't reply. He'd actively avoided that line of thought. There was no room for doubt or questions, not that'd he'd ever given it much thought. The pureblood rhetoric she decried had been ingrained in him since before he could remember. Had he known her heritage before approaching her, he'd have never pursued her no matter how intriguing he found her. It was hard to see beyond blood status. All his life, blood status had been the defining trait of his relationships and had shaped his life.

"You owe Hermione an apology. She deserves basic respect. You will not use any demeaning words about her again," Fleur stated.

Rigel nodded. There was no point in arguing. After a moment, Fleur let go of the railing. There where small indents in it, which he realized where nail, or rather claw marks. Abruptly he understood how close he'd been to facing an angry Veela with no wand.

Fleur gave him one last glare before gracefully ascending the stairs. Rigel watched her go, feeling equal parts ashamed and annoyed. He struggled with the duality of Fleur, the charming, kind girl he remembered and the Veela that she certainly was. All his life, half-breeds were deplorable, a diluting of the blood on par with mixing with muggles. Lucius had been livid at their attendance at the Yule Ball together. Even Narcissa had written, imploring him to consider what he was doing, that a half-breed was mongrel, no matter how beautiful she was.

Rigel sat down on the bed, feeling at odds. He'd put Fleur out of his mind after the Third Task. He'd seen Snape grab at his forearm, where Rigel knew the Dark Mark was, had seen Snape's reaction to Potter's words. After that, his mixed feelings about Fleur and her heritage had seen insignificant. There was not time for doubt when the Dark Lord had returned and Rigel was expected to join his cause. And join he had.

* * *

In the end, it was decided that Ron would be disguised as a new recruit from the continent while Harry and Griphook would be under the invisibility cloak. It was far from ideal, but they had no other options for them to all go. Lestrange made sure they knew how little he thought of their plan, but agreed to let it go.

"No point in arguing, I suppose," he said.

"No tantrum this time?" Ron sneered.

"Ron, don't," Hermione said. Lestrange glared at Ron, who returned a glare of equal intensity.

Harry didn't say anything, just rolled his eyes. For all that Harry had reason to hate anyone named Lestrange, he was much better at controlling himself than Ron was. Frankly, Hermione wasn't sure why Ron was constantly baiting and letting himself be baited in turn. Whatever schoolboy grudge Ron had with Draco, there no reason to transfer it to Lestrange, unless it was some misplaced blame for the Quidditch incident during their fifth year. However, if Hermione remembered correctly, Lestrange had missed the Gryffindor/Slytherin that year after breaking his arm during a practice. At the time, the Slytherins had been rather unhappy with Crabbe and Goyle, as the beaters had been responsible for Slytherin missing their star chaser for a crucial game since Madam Pomfrey had not cleared him to play by the day of the game.

Lestrange was far from friendly, but he'd done nothing to earn Ron's ire that she was aware of. He hadn't even been in the room when she'd been tortured. He wouldn't have interfered but it seemed childish to hold him accountable for his parents' crimes. Harry too seemed willing to judge Lestrange independent of the Lestranges.

"What tests exactly will we face at the bank?" Harry asked Griphook.

The gobbling glanced between the glaring boys before speaking. "The standard test is a wand check. I expect they will know Madam Lestrange is no longer in possession of her wand. When they mention identification, inquire as to how they mean to check. Do not offer up the wand, I would in fact suggest you take another wand so they may see it's different. They will not ask to see it, as they will have no confirmation of Madam Lestrange's new wand. Thus they will offer up a simple blood test to verify identity. You will refuse, after all she was a born Black, and offer up her son."

"Won't they ask for her blood? The Blacks have vaults in Gringotts too," Harry said.

"Very many vaults, two of which Madam Lestrange inherited and joined with the Lestrange estate. Thus access to the vaults is the same as the Lestrange vaults," Griphook said.

"What is the blood test?" Lestrange asked.

"You gave a drop your blood when you accepted the inheritance bestowed upon your coming of age. They will ask for another drop to compare to the original sample, which was free of any magical compulsion or alteration. An Unbreakable Vow while detectable is not considered substantial enough to invalidate the sample. They will likely suspect you, but they will have nothing to question. An Unbreakable Vow after all could have nothing to do with the bank, if they inquire about the slight difference in samples, you must be defiant. They have no right to inquire about your personal business," Griphook answered.

Lestrange nodded. "The vault itself won't require any blood?" he asked.

"No," Griphook paused, appearing slightly reluctant. "That only occurs when there is a change of ownership of the vaults. When you accepted your inheritance, the blood confirmed you as the primary owner, independent of your parents. The main vault is still theirs, thus there will be no further test. Though we must be careful to not give them reason to suspect treachery of any sort. Should they activate the bank's defenses, the Thief's Downfall will wash away any magic, the polyjuice and glamour charms alike. Any person affected by Thief's Downfall will raise an alarm should they attempt to enter a vault. Even if they were to open the vault by using a goblin with access, they would be discovered quickly."

Lestrange looked at Hermione before glaring pointedly at Ron. Hermione frowned. He had a point about attracting too much attention. Polyjuiced as Bellatrix and accompanied solely by Lestrange was the easiest way, assuming she could find the Horcrux and he played along until they got back. But they couldn't risk it. She didn't know if she would be able to identify the Horcrux.

"If you do alert the defenses, you'll be met by a verity of wizards under the bank's employ. They are skilled, but crude in their methods. You should have no trouble at all dealing with them. Yes, you will dispatch them quickly," Griphook said eagerly. He smiled at Lestrange, looking gleeful at the thought of wizards being hurt by their break in.

"If the defenses are alerted, how will we bypass the dragon?" Lestrange asked.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron exchanged surprised looks. Griphook hadn't mentioned a dragon. Griphook seemed surprised at the question.

"I know it's there, I've seen it," Lestrange continued when Griphook didn't reply. "Magnok, the goblin in charge of the family accounts, who will certainly be guiding us, used some sort of weight with bells on it to make the dragon shrink back. If Magnok suspects and alerts the defenses, he won't allow those devices to fall into our hands."

"If they suspect, Magnok will not accompany you. He'll send another along, someone with no experience who will not bring the necessary instruments. But wizards have ways of dealing with dragon," Griphook said.

"None simple or without danger," Lestrange replied. "I've dealt with Magnok, he's an old goblin, in charge of the family accounts for years. He's likely to have dealt with Bellatrix before. He will not be fooled easily."

"You are a trueborn Lestrange. He will have no reason to doubt your identity and with you there, he will be forced accept Madam Lestrange as you present her. It is up to you to make the case for her," Griphook said.

"And if he fails? If Magnok suspects and alerts the defenses before we even reach the carts, what then?" Harry asked.

"Then you would face the full defenses of Gringotts. Dozens of wizards and beasts to bypass before reaching the vault and you would have to find a way to the vault deep underground without the use of a cart," Griphook said. He looked gleeful still at the prospect of bloodshed.

"Let's take a break, it's late and we should help Fleur with dinner," Hermione said. As much as Fleur had been annoyed by having to bring Griphook trays of food to his room, Hermione didn't like dining with Griphook. Though she understood Fleur's annoyance, she wished they didn't have to deal with him at mealtimes. The table was crowded enough, especially when Fleur had coaxed Lestrange to join them, something he'd done only after she'd refused to allow him to take food trays to the cellar.

They descended the stairs quickly and in silence. Griphook didn't enjoy accompanying them to mealtimes, but he preferred to be with them, constantly on the lookout for treachery. Something Hermione knew was coming. Harry and Ron were in agreement. However Harry worded it, he meant to keep the sword and the Horcrux. He planned on paying eventually, but it was not what Griphook wanted, nor what they'd agreed to. It was bound to end badly, Hermione was sure, but she could do nothing to stop it.

Despite those present, dinner passed by without issue. They were cleaning up, everyone but Griphook and Lestrange chatting quietly when there was a bang on the door. Hermione jumped to her feet, clutching her wand. Bill, Harry, and Ron did the same. Fleur came running out of the kitchen while the others pulled back. Lestrange appeared caught in the middle. He'd stood up with them at first before pausing, likely realizing he had no wand to defend himself with. Though it if was Death Eaters, he was likely safe.

"It is I, Remus John Lupin. I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret-Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!"

Bill turned to Lestrange. Hermione realized they couldn't let Lupin see him. Lupin, like the rest of the Order would not approve of the Vow, or even them keeping him in Shell Cottage. Hermione walked around the table,.

"Come on, into the cellar."

"We'll tell him you're resting," Bill said to Hermione.

Lestrange clenched his jaw but followed her without a word. When the Cellar door closed, they heard Bill opening the door to Lupin.

"I know to avoid him," Lestrange whispered as he descended the stairs.

"It's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"

There were loud cheers upstairs. Hermione blinked. Tonks' had the baby. Lupin was officially a father. The news was welcome, the cheers upstairs echoing the smile on her face. It was about time they had something to celebrate.

"The child he speaks of…" Lestrange trailed off, a frown on his face.

"What about the baby?" Hermione asked. She clenched her jaw, preparing for his words. She willed herself not to react when he used crude or malicious words for the baby. No doubt, he had thoughts on the continued diluting of pureblood.

"He's married to Andromeda's daughter, right? The child is hers?"

Hermione nodded, surprised by the question and his choice of words. He knew exactly of whom he spoke, though he had made sure to ignore the family connection. He certainly believed he had only one aunt. Andromeda was not family to him, though she wondered how much he knew about her.

"Yes, your halfblood cousin had a child with a werewolf, and named him after her _mudblood_ father," she stated. Saying the word reminded her of Bellatrix' knife digging into her flesh and she felt a flush of anger. Lestrange had not been present, but certainly, he would have been like Draco, a silent presence, not taking part but not objecting.

"Tonks," Lestrange said. He had ignored her words, appearing lost in thought.

Abruptly Hermione remembered that Ted Tonks had been on the run for months. There'd been a bounty on his head, almost as large as the bounty on Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Looking at Lestrange, Hermione wondered if he knew what had become of Ted Tonks. She wanted to ask, but the answer she expected wouldn't do any good.

Instead, Hermione turned around. She wanted to congratulate Lupin on his son. It was about time she heard some good news. She felt Lestrange's eyes focus on her as she ascended the stairs, but he didn't say anything.

* * *

 **2 May 1998** ,

The morning of their departure, Rigel found himself face to face with Luna Lovegood for the first time since she was captive. Whenever he'd been on the ground floor, the younger Weasley and Thomas had made sure to stay with Lovegood. They'd made it clear he was to stay away, not that he had any intention of interacting with her, but they seemed convinced he would try.

It was early; most of the cottage's occupants were still sleeping. Potter had unlocked the door to the cellar and told him to wait for them. Rigel had gone to the kitchen, eating bits of fruit while he waited for the others. That was how Lovegood found him, eating alone in the kitchen.

"Good morning."

Rigel stared at Lovegood. She was dressed for the day already and apparently cheery. She was unfazed by his lack of reply, walking around the table to fetch herself food. Potter had asked the others to not see them off, hoping to keep some secrecy about their mission and certainly they didn't want the others to panic at the sight of Bellatrix.

"What are you doing here?" Rigel asked.

"I'm hungry," Lovegood answered.

Rigel frowned, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Potter didn't want anyone to see them, but she was already up, and given that she'd been sharing a room with Granger, it was likely Granger at least already knew Lovegood was up. Still, he felt awkward around her. He started to stand when she reached out. She placed her hand on his arm, freezing him in place.

"You don't have to leave. I don't mind the company," she said. Rigel looked from her hand on his arm to her face. She seemed thoroughly sincere. "Oh, sorry, do you not like being touched? It's okay if you don't."

Lovegood took her hand away and turned to the counter. She was preparing tea. Rigel looked around, trying to figure out what she was after. She was a strange girl, but she had to have a reason for approaching him.

"Potter asked all of you to not see us off," he said at least.

"I know, and I'll stay away, but I wanted to talk to you. Ron and Dean have been very nice and attentive, but I haven't gotten the chance to talk you yet," Lovegood replied.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes, I wanted to say thank you. It was nice to have a pleasant visitor in the dungeons, thought it was only once. I would have liked the chance to tell you more about the Wrackspurts around your head. They're still there, by the way. I know of some remedies to help you, if you want," Lovegood said.

Rigel blinked, his mind replaying her words. It was inconceivable. He was saved from answering by Granger's arrival.

"Luna, we talked about this," Granger said.

"I never got a chance to say goodbye to him."

Granger appeared as surprised as Rigel felt.

"Okay, well we're leaving soon," Granger said. She stayed in the doorway, watching Rigel and Lovegood.

"Goodbye Rigel. I know you're going back to your family after, so tell Draco "Hi" for me. I think he'd like that," Lovegood said. "And good luck with those Wrackspurts."

"Thank you and I'll pass the message," Rigel said.

Lovegood beamed and skipped out of the kitchen, her teacup in hand. Rigel chuckled. She was the most confusing person he'd ever encountered. Granger frowned, looking between Lovegood's retreating form and Rigel. He met her eyes defiantly, smile still in place.

"Harry and Ron are with Griphook, they'll be down soon. You'll go with them," Granger said. "I still have to take the potion."

Rigel nodded. He studied her outfit. The black robes and corset Fleur had helped Granger transfigure certainly reminded him of Bellatrix. He'd done his best to prepare, and logically he knew what to expect, but part of him was weary of seeing Bellatrix. He'd told Granger as much as he dared about Bellatrix's behavior. He doubted Granger' acting ability, but she would be physically identical to Bellatrix and that made him weary. He didn't want to see her again, even if he knew it would only be Granger.

Potter and Weasley descended the stairs quickly, Griphook trailing after them. None of them spoke as they waked towards the door. Rigel followed them out. It was still dark out and with a slight breeze. They stopped in the garden, waiting for Granger. The door opened and Rigel froze at the sight.

Bellatrix walked out the door. She was frowning. Even knowing it was Granger didn't stop the shiver of fear that ran through him. He gritted his teeth. When she spoke, it was Bellatrix's voice, but there was an undertone that didn't quite belong. He focused on the slight difference.

"She tasted disgusting, worse than Gurdyroots! Okay, Ron, come here so I can do you." There was only a small difference in the voice Rigel heard and what he knew as Bellatrix's voice. If he hadn't spent weeks listening to Granger, he would haven't have noticed the difference.

After Granger transfigured Weasley's appearance, they walked towards the edge of the property. Rigel knew little of the charm on the cottage, but it was not much different from the protections of the manors he knew. Once they passed the gate, Griphook climbed onto Potter. Granger placed an invisibility cloak on them, hiding them from view.

"Remember what I said. Don't look anyone in the eye unless they're Death Eaters, always look above them. Bellatrix doesn't have time for those beneath her and nearly everyone is beneath her. Don't greet anyone, just let me do the talking, unless someone speaks to you," Rigel said.

"I know," Granger said. Rigel nodded and held him arm out to her. They'd gone over the plan over a dozen times. All they had to do was execute it properly. He felt the familiar pull of apparition.

* * *

 **Next chapter covers the actual break in.**


	10. Gringotts Break-In

**Huge thanks to all of you still reading and interested in the rest of the story. Really made my day a few times to see people review even after a long time. It's a huge motivator to keep going even when I was struggling with this chapter.**

 **You would not believe how much I wrote and rewrote this chapter. I'm still not totally pleased with it, but it's done.**

 **The actual break-in with some changes. Borrows from the break-in chapter in the books as it was unavoidable in some parts.**

* * *

Diagon Alley was a shadow of its former self. It was even worse than it'd been the last time Hermione had seen it. More shops than ever were boarded up, though several new establishments dedicated to the Dark Arts had been created since their last visit. Harry's face glared down at them from posters plastered over many windows, always captioned with the words UNDESIRABLE NUMBER ONE.

A number of ragged people sat huddled in doorways. They could hear them moaning to the few passersby, pleading for gold, insisting that they were really wizards. One man had a bloody bandage over his eye.

As they set off along the street, the beggars glimpsed Hermione. They seemed to melt away before her, drawing hoods over their faces and fleeing as fast as they could. Hermione looked after them curiously, until the man with the bloodied bandage came staggering right across her path.

"My children," he bellowed, pointing at her. His voice was cracked, high-pitched, he sounded distraught. "Where are my children? What has he done with them? You know, you know!"

Hermione stepped back, trying to come up with a suitable answer when Lestrange moved in front of her, his wand outstretched.

"Back off!" he shouted. The beggar paused, staring at Lestrange with fear, but he didn't move away. Lestrange scowled and flicked his wrist. A jet of red light flew out and sent the beggar flying backwards. He landed with a loud thump on the ground. Lestrange glared at the onlookers, sending several of them scurrying away.

"Why, Madam Lestrange?"

Hermione spun around. A tall, think wizard with a crown of bushy gray hair and a long, sharp nose was striding toward them.

"And what do you want?" Hermione asked.

"Travers, shouldn't you be at the Ministry as it begins its day?" Lestrange demanded.

Travers appeared affronted by Hermine's greeting, his frown deepening at Lestrange's curt words.

"The Ministry can do without me for the first hour," Travers said. "I must admit I'm surprised to see you both out and about."

"And why is that?" Lestrange asked.

"Well, I heard that the Inhabitants of Malfoy Manor were confined to the house, after the... ah... escape."

"The Dark Lord forgives those who have served him most faithfully in the past," said Hermione in her best imitation of Bellatrix's most contemptuous manner. "Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers."

Lestrange's head snapped to her for a moment before turning back to Travers.

"Is there a reason you're bothering us?" Lestrange asked scornfully.

Travers frowned. "I noticed the commotion and curiosity brought me here. Tell me, who's your silent friend?" he asked, nodding towards Ron.

"He's sympathetic to the cause, newly arrived from the continent," Lestrange said. He didn't mention the name they'd decided on, but Hermione figured it wasn't worth commenting. The less she had to say the better. "He's proven a most useful training partner."

"Ah, like Sven?" Travers asked. Lestrange nodded, his eyes scanning the area around them. The crowd from earlier was gone, the beggars hiding and the shoppers had scurried away. "What brings you to Diagon Alley so early?"

"We're visiting Gringotts," Lestrange said.

"Alas, I am also," said Travers. "Gold, filthy gold! We cannot live without it, yet I confess I deplore the necessity of consorting with our long-fingered friends."

"What a coincidence!" Lestrange proclaimed. Travers frowned at the mocking tone.

"Shall we?" Travers said, motioning Hermione forward.

Lestrange rolled his eyes as they started walking. Thankfully, Travers was sufficiently distracted by Lestrange's mocking and paid Hermione little attention.

The entrance to the bank was guarded by wizards with Probity Probes. For a moment, Hermione worried they would fail, but after Lestrange stepped through, the wizards jolted and looked around confused. Hermione blinked, glances at the space she assumed Harry was. He must have confounded them.

Inside the bank, Hermione sent Travers ahead under the pretext of explaining the hall's features to Ron. After Travers finished his business, Lestrange waved him off.

"You really ought to return to the Ministry. The Dark Lord wouldn't like to hear that you're slacking in your position, not after that mess last year with Potter," Lestrange said. Travers scowled at Lestrange. Hermione glared at Travers and it seemed to work. He didn't look happy but he left the bank. That was one less thing to worry about.

With Travers gone, Hermione stepped toward the goblin at the desk.

"Madam Lestrange!" said the goblin, evidently startled. "Dear me! How may I help you today?"

"I wish to enter my vault," said Hermione.

The old goblin seemed to recoil a little.

"You have... identification?" asked the goblin.

"Identification? I have never been asked for identification before!" said Hermione.

"It's alright, mother. I'm sure we can settle this quickly," Lestrange said. He leaned against the counter, glancing at the plaque and smiling. "So Bogrod, what is this about identification?"

The goblin looked between Lestrange's smiling face and Hermione's scowl. It seemed to convince him enough to produce a package. He opened the package to reveal a small dagger.

"There is a new policy regarding old accounts such as yours. A simple drop of blood to verify identification is all that is necessary. Madam if you please?"

The goblin held the dagger out with shaking hands. Hermione glowered at the goblin who gulped deeply and shrunk into his seat.

Lestrange chuckled and took the dagger. He made a show of spinning it around before pressing it against his index finger. The glowed a bright golden color before fading.

"I take it that is satisfactory?" Lestrange asked loudly. They'd attracted quite a lot of attention from the other goblins but the golden glow seemed to convince most of them to return to their work.

"Y-yes, of course." The old goblin clapped his hands and a young goblin appeared at his side. "Bring me the Clankers."

The young goblin dashed away and returned in a moment holding jangling bag to his superior. The old goblin took the bag and said, "Inform Magnok that I will escort Madam Lestrange and her group to the Vault #61."

Lestrange and Hermione exchanged a quick glance. He had mentioned Magnok during their planning and they'd decided to try to avoid him. As someone who had managed the Lestrange accounts for decades, Magnok would be extremely suspicious of Bellatrix's sudden appearance given that in all the years he'd managed the accounts, the Lestranges handled their business primarily via owl and any business in person had been handled by Lucius until Rigel came of age.

Bogrod slid of his seat and motioned for them to follow him to towards one of the many doors lining the hall. They were almost at the door when there was a commotion behind them.

"Wait!"

Hermione spun around, the long black hair spinning behind her, and glared. The goblin who had shouted drew back, but held his ground.

"Magnok," Lestrange greeted.

The older goblin nodded at Lestrange, but focused on Hermione. "Madam Lestrange, it has been a long time since you last visited these halls."

"So it has," Hermione said.

"I understand you wish to see Vault #61," Magnok said.

"Yes, we have business there," Hermione stated.

Magnok looked between her, Lestrange, and the disguised Ron. He didn't appear convinced though he had surely heard that Lestrange provided his blood.

"Is there something wrong, Magnok? I don't recall nearly this many problems when I accepted my inheritance and this is merely a visit to a family vault," Lestrange said.

"Times have changed," Magnok said. He glanced at Lestrange who met his eyes easily. The goblin scrutinized Lestrange but there was nothing to discover. Lestrange was who he claimed to be. Then Magnok turned to Hermione. It was clear he was suspicious but Lestrange's presence and blood provided enough evidence to validate Hermione's ruse.

"We've been delayed long enough. I demand to see my vault," Hermione stated, hoping that she captured Bellatrix's anger, impatience, and anger properly.

Bogrod twitched but Magnok simply nodded.

"My apologies, Madam," Magnok said. "Bogrod, proceed."

Magnok bowed to Hermione before turning away. Hermione looked at Lestrange who gave a slight shrug. It was hard to tell if Magnok had been fooled or if he was biding his time to expose them.

Bogrod at least was convinced and hurried along to get them out of the main hall. They passed through the door and into the rough stone passageway beyond, which was lit with flaming torches. Ron trailed after them, leaving space for the invisible Harry. If Bogrod was curious of Ron's presence or the large distance Ron left between himself and Lestrange, he didn't say anything.

As they approached the cart, Hermione realized they would have a hard time hiding Harry and Griphook on the small cart. Abruptly, Bogrod stopped, his eyes turning glassy and unfocused. Harry and Griphook appeared, the former holding his invisibility cloak.

"He's under the Imperio," Harry said.

"Magnok suspects, if he believed he would have come along. We must hurry," Griphook said.

Bogrod and Griphook climbed onto the front of the cart, leaving the others to squish into the back. It was uncomfortable, but there was room enough for them all.

With a jerk the cart moved off, gathering speed. The cart began twisting and turning through the labyrinthine passages, sloping downward all the time. They took a hairpin bend at speed and saw ahead of them, with seconds to spare, a waterfall pounding over the track.

"No!" Griphook shouted but it was too late.

Water filled Hermione's eyes and mouth, choking her. The water burned her skin, searing pain spreading throughout her skin. Then, with an awful lurch, the cart flipped over and they were all thrown out of it. As they flew through the air, Hermione heard Lestrange shout something, but she could only focus on the searing pain she felt.

They glided back toward the ground as though weightless, landing painlessly on the rocky passage floor. Hermione coughed out the water and cried out. She felt as if she was on fire.

"The Thief's Downfall," Griphook exclaimed. "It washes away all enchantment, all magical concealment! They know there are imposers in Gringotts, they have set off defenses against us!"

The pain disappeared and Hermione realized that she was herself again. The pain she'd felt had been the water washing away the polyjuice potion and forcing her body to return to its true state. Ron, now without his disguise, helped her up.

Lestrange and Harry were soaked but unharmed. Bogrod was glancing around confusedly as he climbed to his feet.

"We still need him," Griphook proclaimed.

"Imperio!" Harry shouted. Bogrod's anger faded, replaced by the same unfocused gaze he'd held earlier. Ron retrieved the bag of Clankers, handing them to Griphook.

"How are we going to get out again?" Ron asked as they hurried on foot into the darkness after the goblin, Bogrod panting in their wake like an old dog.

"Let's worry about that when we have to," said Harry. "Griphook, how much farther?"

"Not far, Harry Potter, not far ..."

They turned the corner and saw their final obstacle. A gigantic dragon was tethered to the ground in front of them, barring access to four or five of the deepest vaults in the place. The beast's scales had turned pale and flaky during its long incarceration under the ground, its eyes were milkily pink; both rear legs bore heavy cuffs from which chains led to enormous pegs driven deep into the rocky floor. It's great spiked wings, folded close to its body, would have filled the chamber if it spread them, and when it turned its ugly head toward them, it roared with a noise that made the rock tremble, opened its mouth, and spat a jet of fire that sent them running back up the passageway.

"It's partially blind," Griphook explained. "But even more savage for that. However, we have the means to control it. It has learned what to expect when the Clankers come." Griphook handed each of them a Clanker, which rang loudly when they shook. "It will expect pain when it hears the noise. It will retreat, and Bogrod must place his palm upon the door of the vault."

They advanced around the corner again, shaking the Clankers, and the noise echoed off the rocky walls, grossly magnified to the point of pain. The dragon let out another hoarse roar, then retreated. Hermione could see it trembling, and as they drew nearer he saw the scars made by vicious slashes across its face, and guess that it had been taught to fear hot swords when it heard the sound of the Clankers. Hermione felt a pang of sympathy for the poor beast. The goblins and wizards at the bank had tortured the poor animal.

"Make him press his hand to the door!" Griphook urged Harry, who turned his wand again upon Bogrod. The old goblin obeyed, pressing his palm to the wood, and the door of the vault melted away. Inside the vault gleamed with bright shiny coins and jewels.

"Search, fast"" said Harry as they all hurried inside the vault. He had described Hufflepuff's cap to Ron and Hermione, but if it was the other, the unknown Horcrux that resided in this vault, they were relying on Harry to be able to sense it.

Lestrange trailed in slowly, coming to a stop next to Hermione. She looked over at him. He was looking between her, Ron, and Harry. They'd never told him what they were after. All he knew was it was important to Harry, and subsequently to the war.

There was a muffled clunk from behind them. Hermione and Lestrange spun around. The door had reappeared, sealing them inside the vault, and they were plunged into total darkness. Lestrange cursed loudly as he approached the disappeared door.

"No matter, Bogrod will be able to release us!" said Griphook as Ron gave a shout of surprise. "Light your wands, can't you? And hurry, we have little time!"

Lestrange glared at Griphook but lit his wand wordlessly. In the light of four wands, they could see a good portion of the vault. Hermione spotted the fake Sword of Gryffindor hanging high above.

Hermione spotted a goblet and reached for it. She was going to call Harry over when she felt a burning sensation on her hand. She cried out and dropped the goblet. It fell to the ground and split into dozens of copies.

"They have added Gemino and Flagrante Curses! Everything you touch will burn and multiply, but the copies are worthless," Griphook explained.

But even as he said it, Ron accidentally nudged one of the fallen goblets with his foot, and twenty more exploded into being while Ron hopped on the spot, part of his shoe burned away by contact with the hot metal.

"Stand still, don't move!" said Hermione, clutching at Ron.

"Just look around," Harry shouted. "It's a cup, small and gold, it's got a badger engraved on it, two handles. Otherwise anything with an eagle on it."

They directed their wands into every nook and crevice, turning cautiously on the spot. It was impossible not to brush up against anything; Harry sent a great cascade of fake Galleons onto the ground where they joined the goblets, and now there was scarcely room to place their feet, and the glowing gold blazed with heat, so that the vault felt like a furnace.

Lestrange stayed back, using magic to keep a small clearing around himself, Griphook, and the still imperiused Bogrod. Then Harry spotted it.

"There, it's up there!" he shouted, pointing at a cup high on a shelf.

"A Hufflepuff artifact?" Lestrange asked.

"How the hell are we going to get it down without touching anything?" Ron asked.

"Accio!" Hermione cried but it was no use, just as Griphook had said during their planning.

"No, no, it won't work!" snarled the goblin.

"Then how?" Harry yelled. "If you want the sword, Griphook, then you'll have to help us more than -wait! Can I touch stuff with the sword? Hermione, give it here."

Hermione fumbled inside her robes for her bag, sticking her hand inside and reaching for the sword. She held it out and Harry took the hilt. He stretched out trying to reach the shelf the cup was on but it was too high.

"What is a Hufflepuff artifact doing here?" Lestrange asked.

"Your master gave it to your parents to hide," Hermione answered as Harry continued to struggle, trying to reach for the cup, or knock it down.

"Why?"

"He's a halfblood, he was jealous of the purebloods with their family vaults," Hermione said. Lestrange didn't need to know about the Horcruxes.

"What?" Lestrange asked softly. Hermione glanced over at him. He looked surprised and confused. She realized he had no idea about Voldemort's past.

"He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle, that's why he hates muggles so much, why he goes by a new name, to hide his heritage," Hermione stated. Lestrange stared at her, frowning.

Then they heard the dragon roar on the other side of the vault door, and the sound of clanking growing louder and louder.

"Hermione, I have to get up there," Harry said.

" _Levicorpus_ ," Hermione said. Harry shot into the air by his ankle. He hit a suit of armor sending dozens of scorching duplicates.

The duplicates fell, landing on Hermione, Ron, Lestrange, and the goblins. Screams and curses were shouted. Lestrange tried to blast the first wave of duplicates back, but there were too many. The duplicate treasure kept rising, reaching waist level. Hermione saw Bogrod standing passively against the tide and reached out. The tide was rising still, there was no way to stop it now as it surrounded them.

"Ron, help me with Bogrod," Hermione said. Ron reached over and they each grabbed one of the goblin's arms.

Lestrange had moved away, retreating to the door. Hermione didn't know what he expected but it didn't matter as the tide rose again, sending Griphook under. Struggling with Bogrod, Hermione cried out as Griphook started to disappear from view.

Harry had finally reached the cup, hooking the sword through the handle. He saw Griphook's hand and pulled him out of the treasure. A moment later, they fell on the treasure, creating dozens of burning replicas.

Hermione screamed. The mountain of scorching duplicates was rising higher and higher, threatening to overwhelm them completely. She heard Harry scream, but his words were overshadowed by the roar of the heat and the clankers.

Then in a rush, the tide was moving, sliding out of the vault. They landed amidst still burning treasure in the outer hall of the vault. Across the hall stood dozens of goblins, each holding weapons and glares. Griphook rose from the treasure, the Sword of Gryffindor in his hands and ran towards them.

"Thieves! Thieves! Help! Thieves," Griphook cried. The other goblins accepted him without question and he slipped from view as they advanced.

"Wait, no, I'm not with them," Lestrange shouted as he struggled to rise to his feet amidst the treasure. "Blast it!"

The goblins barely glanced his way as they continued advancing. In the corner, the dragon huddled as the clankers advanced.

" _Stupefy_!" Harry bellowed. Hermione and Ron joined in. Several goblins fell, but the rest kept moving forward.

Hermione saw movement at her side and looked over. Lestrange was moving away from them. He held his wand in his hand, but he was not attacking anyone.

"The Vow if fulfilled!" Lestrange shouted.

Harry glanced over, and then nodded. They had gotten what they wanted and it was done. He was free.

"Bingo," Lestrange said. In a blink, a small house-elf appeared at his side. Lestrange smirked, extending his hand out to the elf. "Take me home."

With a loud crack, they disappeared.

"I didn't know house-elves could get in or out of this place," Hermione said as they turned back to the approaching goblins.

"Who cares, it won't help us!" Ron shouted.

The goblins kept advancing even as their numbers dwindled under the constant fire of stunning spells. In the distance, reinforcements were arriving. Wizards were running towards them. The goblins continued advancing, several of them dropping clankers and reaching for daggers.

The dragon roared, sending a gush of flame above the goblins. The fire landed in front of the wizards, sending them fleeing back. Harry paused then fired towards the dragon, blasting its chains.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione cried.

"Get on, climb up!" Harry shouted as he scrambled up the dragon's back. Hermione hesitated for a moment before reaching for Harry's hand. It was their only way out.

* * *

Rigel blinked, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light. A moment later Bingo lit the candles, bathing the room in a soft light. He was in Malfoy Manor, in his old room. He had expected to end up in Lestrange Manor, but he'd told Bingo to bring him home. Lestrange Manor was not a home, not in the way Malfoy Manor had been for years.

Rigel sat on the bed, abruptly aware of all the burns on his clothes and body. The burning replicas had singed through his robes, burning parts of his legs. They weren't terrible burns, but irritating.

"Bring me the paste for burns," Rigel said.

The elf disappeared for several moments before appearing again with a slim bottle in his hands. He held it out to his master. Rigel carefully peeled away the signed cloth and slathered the burns in the paste. It felt cool and soothing.

The room was unchanged from his last stay. He leaned back, resting on the many pillows on the bed. He'd barely slept the past several days. Fleur had given him a few sips of Dreamless Sleep on two occasions but the rest of his time was spent trying to exhaust his body so he could sleep. He closed his eyes.

He woke up to the burning in his Dark Mark. At the cottage, the magic that concealed it had dampened the sensations from his mark. Now Rigel gasped as the mark burned. The Dark Lord was calling his servants, the word "Hogwarts" appearing in writing on the snake's body. Rigel stared down at the pulsing mark.

Granger's words echoing in his head. _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle._ She had seemed so sure, confident. _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle._ He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

He knew little of the Dark Lord's rise. Most of the tales of the Dark Lord were from the First Wizarding War, but nothing before. Rigel knew his grandfather, Radalf Lestrange, had been one of the first Death Eaters but he'd died young, likely in service to the Dark Lord. Beyond that Rigel knew only what he'd heard from others and no one spoke of the Dark Lord's past beyond his accomplishments during the First Wizarding War.

All of the original Death Eaters like Radalf, had died, or at least Rigel assumed they had as he'd never heard of anyone other than his grandfather. Whoever the others had been, he didn't know their names. He didn't even know how Radalf had come to follow the Dark Lord.

Rigel frowned. He always avoided asking questions about the Dark Lord, the cause, its past or its future. There was no point. He'd joined because it was expected of him, planned for him before he'd even been born. His father and grandfather had served, it was his duty to follow in their footsteps. Questions only served to weaken his determination to the cause. Never mind that everything he'd done had been to keep Draco and Narcissa safe. The cause had long since stopped being anything but a death sentence to Rigel. A sentence he wanted desperately to escape.

He stared down at the Mark. In the vault, Potter had been expecting something belonging to Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. If Potter made it out of Gringotts, Hogwarts was the next logical step. The Dark Lord was likely expecting him, if he didn't already know where Potter was.

Rigel stood, marching to his closet. There was still a set of Death Eater robes inside, mask too. He dressed quickly, determination filling him. One way or another it would end. Potter and the Dark Lord would meet and one of them would not walk away.

In his Death Eater robes and mask, no one would know who he was unless he spoke. He didn't relish explaining to the Dark Lord that he'd helped Potter with whatever was hidden in the vault.

 _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle._ Granger's words echoed again. Rigel scowled. What did it matter? His life was forfeit to the Dark Lord. There was no escape. No one would believe him and even if it was true, even if he could convince others, the Dark Lord was powerful. Halfblood or no, the Dark Lord was more powerful than any other wizard alive.

* * *

 **Hope you guys weren't expecting Rigel to switch sides yet.**

 **This was a bit short, but the next chapter is the Battle of Hogwarts and I didn't want to do both in one chapter.**


	11. The Battle of Hogwarts

**Thanks to the people that reviewed and to everyone that signed up for updates.**

 **This chapter was quite the pain, especially since I didn't want to change too much but the parts I did want to change were important to the overall battle.** **In the end I took a shortcut, but mostly I just want to end the war and move on.**

 **I've got plenty of stuff lined up for post-war, especially with regards to Rigel and Hermione, plus my own interest in world building and fixing things I disliked about Rowling's post-war ideas.**

* * *

Hogsmead was in alarm, but the Death Eaters were no longer in control. The village was seemingly deserted. Rigel scanned the area. If anyone remained in the village, they were doing a good job of staying hidden. Far from the village along the edges of the forest, Rigel spotted dozens of hooded figures and a trail of spiders marching towards Hogwarts. Ahead of the spiders, Rigel spotted a giant and other hooded figures. The advance guard was approaching the castle, but the bulk of the forces seemed to staying back.

As he walked into the forest, he spotted dozens of Snatchers, werewolves, and Death Eaters all standing around. They were waiting for something, he realized. He scanned the Death Eaters but most had their masks on. He couldn't risk anyone identifying him yet. The Dark Lord would surely be angry.

 _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle._ Whatever the Dark Lord's past, he was still a supremely talented wizard. Still, Granger's words echoed in his head. It didn't matter, not anymore. They had finally reached the end, one way or another it would end and Rigel had long ago made his choice.

"They let the Slytherins leave, sent them out. Snape said the Order's called for reinforcements," someone said. "They're going to protect Potter with everything they've got.

Rigel blinked. Potter had made it out of Gringotts and into Hogwarts. It truly was the end.

"Malfoy's out of his mind, his brat hasn't shown up."

"What did you say?" Rigel asked.

The snatcher looked at Rigel, staring at the mask. Then he shrugged. "Malfoy's brat didn't show up with the other Slytherins. His parents are losing their minds."

Rigel frowned. Why would Draco have stayed inside the castle if Potter and the Order had taken over? If Snape had fled the castle, then it was truly under the Order's control.

"Where's Snape?"

"Broody bastard's down by the lake, on the docks. Probably annoyed he lost his cushy post. He should be happy he's not been punished."

"The Dark Lord's in the shack, isn't he? Snape might be waiting."

"Who cares, he'll get his chance to take it back. Once the signal goes up, we'll smash the walls to bits. Gonna make all those blood traitors pay" the snatcher said. His friends laughed, seemingly entirely at ease at the prospect of a battle.

As he walked towards the lake, he passed by dozens of Snatchers and Death Eaters. Every one of them excited about the upcoming battle. Rigel recognized some faces, many of them had been Slytherins a few years older, but most were strangers.

The closer he got to the lake, the less people he saw. As he passed the Shrieking Shack, Rigel saw Bellatrix and Rodolphus. Rigel paused, staring at his parents. They were tense, but even at a distance he could see the excitement on their faces. They didn't bother with masks, proudly displaying their faces. Rigel hurried past them, thankful they couldn't recognize him with his mask on. He felt Belltarix's eyes on him as he passed, but with no reason to stop him she turned back.

Snape was alone on the docks, pacing between the boats that had once brought students to and from the castle. He looked up when he heard Rigel's approach. Rigel stared at Snape. His former professor stood motionless in front of him, his face utterly devoid of any emotion, pale and almost dead. Rigel reached up and removed his mask.

"Rigel," Snape whispered. Surprised showed on his face for only a moment. "I did not expect to see you here after what I heard."

"Potter needed me for something," Rigel paused, wondering if he could tell Snape. He'd often wondered about Snape's loyalties. Bellatrix had long believed he wasn't loyal to the cause, an accusation that seemed to go beyond jealousy at Snape's place at the Dark Lord's right hand. Others simply wondered why Snape had only contacted the Dark Lord after he regained physical form, why Snape who claimed to be so loyal had provided little to the cause until he killed Dumbledore.

"You helped him?" Snape asked.

"Potter needed to access my family's vault, I helped in exchange for my freedom," Rigel stated. _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle_. "Sir, what do you know of the Dark Lord's past?"

Snape stared at Rigel, his expression carefully devoid of emotion. Rigel met his eyes, all the while steeling his mind's shields. He felt Snape's attempt, careful and lacking in power. Rigel held his shields, wondering why Snape even bothered if he didn't use his full strength. After a moment, Snape looked away, the ghost of a smile disappearing in a flash.

"Why do you ask?"

"Granger, she said something, about the Dark Lord's past," Rigel paused, glancing back towards the Shrieking Shack. His parents were gone. The Shack appeared empty. "She said he was a halfblood. That his father was a muggle."

Snape maintained his blank face, showing no surprise or outrage at the words. Then he nodded slightly. Rigel blinked. He didn't know how to react.

"His name is Tom Riddle. A muggle name from his muggle father. He abandoned the name when he began his rise. Does it matter?" Snape asked.

"Yes! All this time, I thought he was a pureblood, one of us," Rigel exclaimed.

"Do you think all who follow him are purebloods? You must know I'm not a pureblood," Snape said.

"I know that, but the Dark Lord, I …" Rigel trailed off. He leaned against a post, rubbing at his head. "I don't know what I thought."

"It's not your place to question the Dark Lord. No one has that luxury," Snape said.

Rigel scowled. He wondered what Bellatrix would say if he told her that her master was a filthy halfblood. To think scions of the greatest pureblood houses had bowed to a halfblood, believing him to be their savior, the one who would deliver them a world of their own.

"Where are the Malfoys? I heard someone say Draco's still in the castle."

"Draco did not evacuate with his fellow Slytherins. I have no idea where he is. If you wish to find him, you will have to venture into the castle," Snape stated. "I suspect that with your disappearance Draco felt compelled to redeem the family honor. To prove himself to the Dark Lord by capturing Potter."

"What? No!" That was the last thing Rigel wanted Draco to do, the last thing Narcissa would have wanted. Everything they'd done had been to keep Draco safe, away from the front line. Rigel turned back. The advanced guard had broken through the castle. Death Eaters, snatchers, and all manner of beasts were entering the castle. He looked back at Snape who remained emotionless.

"I should go," Rigel said. He had to find Draco, had to get him out.

"Lucius did not go, he remains without a wand. Narcissa gave hers to Draco. Neither of them will enter the castle, not until the battle is over," Snape said.

Rigel nodded. He wondered how the battle was going. Was there a point in fighting? He was so tired of fighting, of wondering if one misstep would cost him everything. He wanted so badly to end it all. Perhaps it would have been better to run away.

"Will you join the battle?"

"No," Snape said. His voice was soft, nearly a whisper. For the first time, Rigel saw something in Snape's face. The once Headmaster of Hogwarts appeared tired and oddly resigned. "There's something I have to do."

"Sir?"

Snape met Rigel's eyes, scanning his former student's face. Then he spoke. "The Dark Lord will punish you for helping Potter."

"What does it matter? By the end of tonight one of them will be dead," Rigel stated. Someone would die and his life would change forever. He looked past Snape, to the lake he'd crossed so many times before. How different would his life be if he'd never attended Hogwarts? If the Malfoys had fled Britain after the first war. Would the Dark Lord have hunted them down? Or perhaps they would be free, away from any danger, living peaceful lives hidden away.

"You lack faith in the Dark Lord?"

"He's a fraud." Rigel snapped his mouth close, looking around lest someone appear to punish him for the insult.

"A halfblood, yes. Does that truly change anything?"

"Everything is a lie. What pureblood world is he going to uphold when he's not even a pureblood. What is anything of this for if not to secure a world free of mudbloods and muggles? He doesn't care about any of that, does he? He only cares about his power, about Potter, and making everyone bow to him."

"You bowed at his feet before," Snape said. "Would you do so now?"

Rigel didn't answer. He turned away from Snape, feeling ashamed. Knowing the Dark Lord's past changed nothing. Halfblood or no, he was a supremely talented wizard. It would be foolish to defy him and yet part of Rigel wanted to. He imagined standing in front of the Dark Lord and the inner circle, revealing the truth and spitting in master's face. He would be struck down in seconds. It wouldn't be quick or painless.

"It doesn't matter," Rigel said. He met Snape's eyes, his emotions draining away. Behind Snape, Hogwarts was alit by fire, the battle raging as the Death Eaters broke through the defenses. They were destroying the outer walls, and soon they would be inside. The Death Eaters destroyed everything they touched, including lives. "If I die, do you think they'll make Draco take my place? Assuming the Dark Lord wins, of course."

"You doubt his powers?"

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Rigel said. He took his mask in hand, staring at it. He felt the urge to throw it into the lake, to run from everything and build a new life. It was a stupid thought. He wouldn't run. Whatever his fate, he would face it. He couldn't keep living in fear.

He met Snape's eyes again. "I don't think I ever thanked you for what you did for me, for my family."

Rigel turned to the lone boat left on the dock. It would be fitting to return to Hogwarts via the boat. One last trip across the lake.

"Wait."

Rigel looked back. Snape had his eyes closed, his wand pressing into his forehead. A stream of silver leaked from Snape's head, neither liquid nor gas. Rigel conjured a flask and held it out as Snape's memories poured out. A sharp flick and Snape opened his eyes, his arm falling to his side.

"When this is over, look through them," Snape said. They stared at each other, blue eyes and black eyes locked together. "Narcissa will want to see you. She'll be by the main gate, watching the battle."

Rigel nodded. He had questions, so many questions, but there was no time. The battle was starting, he could hear the cries of the Dark Lord's army as the vanguard began moved towards the castle. He donned his mask again and hurried towards the gates. He passed by a few stragglers, snatchers and beasts still making their way forward. They had already broken through any defenses the gates had offered.

Narcissa was alone next to the wreckage of the gates, the flames in the distance casting shadows around, bathing her in bright light. Rigel paused, staring at her. _Aunt Cissy_ had been the cure for every ailment and bad dream he'd had as a child. Seeing her again, made him feel years younger again.

She felt his gaze and met his masked eyes defiantly. She was wandless and alone yet she showed no fear at the masked Death Eater in front of her.

"What do you want?" she demanded, still every bit the pillar of strength he'd knew.

Rigel tore his mask off, throwing it on the ground with no regard. Narcissa gasped. She reached out a trembling hand. Rigel rushed forwards, drawing her into his arms. It felt like an eternity since he'd last hugged her. Even now amidst all the chaos, he felt safer and calmer as she held onto him.

"Rigel, you're here," Narcissa gasped. She pulled back, running her hands from his face to his shoulders, as if assuring that he was real. There were tears in her eyes. Rigel blinked, trying not to cry. "How?"

"It doesn't matter," Rigel said. "Where's Lucius? Draco?"

The mention of her son brought fresh tears to her face. She stepped back, shaking her head, her hand pressed against her mouth to muffle her cries. She turned to look at the castle in the distance. They were advancing into the inner courtyards.

"He didn't arrive with the other Slytherins. I don't know where he is. Lucius went to the Dark Lord. We don't have wands, there's no way to get new ones with Olivander gone and we can't go inside without one. Lucius hopes the Dark Lord will enter the battle and finish Potter. Then we can look for Draco."

"I can go," Rigel said.

Narcissa's head snapped to him. He reached into his robes, showing her his wand. He didn't know if he could explain what happened, why he still had his wand. "I can go and find Draco."

"It's dangerous," Narcissa said, but even as she spoke Rigel could see the hope in her eyes.

"I'll be fine," Rigel said. "I'll bring him back."

Narcissa nodded. She stepped forward, placing her hands on his shoulders. "You'll both come back and we'll be a family again."

She patted his shoulders one last time and stepped back. With Narcissa's eyes on him, Rigel marched forward. His mind was clear.

The path to the castle was empty; the Dark Lord's forces had advanced into the inner courtyards, getting closer and closer to entering the castle itself. There was debris from the outer walls scattered around the path.

The outermost courtyard was nearly deserted, a few spiders still marching forwards and several bodies. Rigel only scanned the courtyard once for a sign of Draco before proceeding. He didn't care who laid dead already. He only needed to find Draco and get them out.

After that outer courtyard, Rigel saw the raging battle. Death Eaters, Snatchers, teachers, and students were locked in various duels around the inner courtyard. Spiders were climbing walls and pillars, most trying to get inside the castle. There was a large gap in the castle walls leading into the entrance hall.

Rigel weaved through the courtyard, dodging curses and debris. Someone on the battlefield had a fondness for blasting charms, frequent blasts sending chunks of stone into the air. There were several people trying to block the gap in the wall. Animated suits of armor fighting with medieval weapons aided them, forming a solid wall of armor in front of the wizards and witches raining spells from the gap.

Surrounded by chaos, Rigel ran to the edges of the battle. He had no interest in dueling. He had to get inside and retrieve Draco.

* * *

The broom crashed into the wall, splintering and dropping them to the ground. Hermione rolled away, panting as the clean air filled her lungs. Ron shoved the unconscious Goyle and leaned sat against the wall.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione gasped.

"He was behind us," Ron said. "I dunno. He must of gone back for the diadem."

Several moments passed and still there was no moment. Hermione sat up, resting against the wall. They sat there painting, waiting for Harry to appear. The fire consuming the Room of Requirement was still raging and smoke filtered out from the still open door.

Beneath the roar of the flames, Hermione heard footsteps approaching. She started to stand when a figure turned the corner, wand raised.

"Lestrange," Ron growled. He started to rise, but Hermione reached out to stop him. They weren't in position to fight, not yet.

Rigel Lestrange flicked his wand between Hermione and Ron, barely sparing a glance at the still unconscious Goyle. Lestrange lowered his wand slightly.

"Where's Draco?" he asked.

Hermione glanced at the still burning room. "There," she said.

Lestrange stared at the door. "What happened?"

"Crabbed used Fiendfyre," Hermione answered. "He lost control of it, it consumed the room. Harry and Malfoy are still inside."

Hermione had barely finished her sentence when a broom flew past, crashing into the wall. The door slammed shut leaving the hall silent except for the panting breaths Harry and Malfoy were taking.

Lestrange advanced towards Malfoy, who looked visible sick as he retched. Hermione pulled Ron up, both assuming fighting stances. Harry jumped to his feet, wand pointed at Lestrange.

"I just want Draco," Lestrange said. He had lowered his wand, holding it loosely at his side. "I don't care about you three, or anyone else."

"He was trying to capture, to bring me to his master. You expect me to believe that's not your plan too?" Harry shouted.

"If I wanted to capture you, I would have gotten rid of those two before you showed up," Lestrange sneered. Even outnumbered, he was confident in his abilities. "I'm only here to get Draco out."

Harry started to speak but was distracted by something on his arm. The diadem was charred, covered in soot. A bloodlike substance, dark and tarry, seemed to be leaking from the diadem. The diadem started to vibrate violently before breaking apart in Harry's hand.

"It must have been Fiendfyre," Hermione whispered, her eyes fixed on the broken pieces.

"What was that?" Lestrange asked.

No one answered. Harry glared at Lestrange, his wand still pointed at the Death Eater.

"If you're here for Malfoy, it's none of your concern," Harry said.

Lestrange nodded.

"How did you get inside?" Hermione asked. He was alone, so the Death Eaters had yet to get inside Hogwarts.

"I flew," Lestrange said. "No one was paying any attention to the towers. It was easy to open a window and get inside. The outer defenses fell. It's only a matter of time before the Death Eaters get inside."

Not a moment later, they heard a loud blast followed by shouting. The battle was no longer outside. Death Eaters were advancing.

"We don't have time," Hermione said. "We have to move."

Harry glared at Lestrange but nodded. He flicked his wand at Malfoy's pathetic shivering body. "Get out of here."

Lestrange nodded. He kneeled beside his cousin, a wordless charm cleaning the vomit away. Malfoy was barely conscious, shivering and crying even as Lestrange lifted him up.

"We have to go," Hermione said.

Harry nodded and they turned away, leaving Lestrange to care for his cousin.

* * *

Rigel carefully pulled Draco into his arms. Draco was a mess, tears trailing down his cheeks and loud sobs wracking through him. His blond hair was singed slightly, and soot covered his face and clothes.

"C-Crabbe, he-he was still there," Draco cried.

"There's nothing you could have done," Rigel said. He ignored Draco's whimper and flicked his wand to clear Draco's face with some water. "We have to go. Narcissa is waiting."

Draco nodded, accepting Rigel's hand as he stood on unsteady feet. He was thinner than Rigel remembered and the shaking made him look ill.

"How are we going to get out?" Draco asked. They could hear the sounds of the battle growing closer with each passing moment. The Dark Lord's forces had broken through the defenses.

"We'll have to go through the battle. You have a wand?" Rigel said. Draco nodded, holding out Narcissa's wand. "Good. Stick close to me, we'll have to go around the main areas, but there's a lot going on."

The two descended the stairs slowly. In their dark clothes, it was easy to slip into the shadows. They passed by several groups too busy dueling to pay them any attention. In the inner courtyard, spiders and werewolves were running loose. Draco stumbled.

Rigel reached out to steady him, following Draco's eyes to a werewolf eating a Hogwarts student. He couldn't see who they were, the robes a bloody mess, but it didn't matter. Whoever it'd been was long dead.

"We have to move, we can't stay here," Rigel shouted. A stray curse hit the wall behind them, sending debris out. Rigel blasted the bits of stone away, dragging Draco forward. It wasn't ideal, he'd had preferred to have his hand free to assist with casting if needed, but Draco seemed to still be reeling from shock.

As they ran through the courtyard, Rigel heard an all too familiar cackle and turned instinctively towards it. In a chaotic battle, Bellatrix was in her element. Her wild hair flowing around her shoulders as she dodge curse. Her wide and vaguely unfocused eyes glinted with murderous intent. Bellatrix was a spectacular sight, wild energy radiating off her as she weaved around spells and pushed forward with a torrent of curses.

Her opponent carried a similar expression. Nymphadora Tonks stood her ground against her aunt's onslaught of curses, teeth gritting with the effort it took to side step and block the curses with pieces of debris. A smart move given Bellatrix's frequent use of dangerous dark spells that cut through _Protego_ barriers.

Rigel stared transfixed at the duel. Tonks was holding her own, but it was clear that Bellatrix was stronger. It was only a matter of time before Tonks slipped up. Still it was an impressive display from the auror, not many could face Bellatrix' in a duel and last so long.

Bellatrix must have sensed a weakness, she advanced faster, firing wordless curse after wordless curse. Tonks pulled back, stumbling as the debris she used to protect herself was blasted to tiny pieces. Then, Bellatrix pounced, jumping forward and cackling as a familiar red light shooting from her wand. The spell hit Tonks scare in the chest and she fell to the ground with an agonized scream. Bellatrix held the curse for a moment, licking her lips at the screams it produced before flicking her wand to end it. She sauntered forward, stopping only when her heeled boot was pressing against Tonks' chest.

"Rigel!"

Rigel blinked, realizing how long he'd been standing there. Draco, who had tugged his arm, was starting at him, confused and concerned. Then Draco looked past Rigel and drew back in fear. Rigel looked back and met Bellatrix's eyes.

Draco tugged at his arm again and Rigel let him pull him away. He didn't need to look back to know Bellatrix was following them but they kept going. They rounded the corner into an empty corridor that would led them outside, Rigel heard heel boots chasing after them.

"Rigel!" her voice was strangely unsteady, as if she was unsure it was really him.

Rigel turned around slowly, fully aware that Draco was shaking. Draco had always feared Bellatrix, and whatever had happened after Rigel's untimely capture had made things worse.

"Hello, mother," Rigel said. He stood perfectly still, shielding Draco's smaller frame. The action didn't go unnoticed, as Bellatrix's blank face transformed into a sneer.

"You're free, why didn't you join us? You should be fighting, both of you," Bellatrix stated.

Rigel frowned. He had expected questions about his status, about what happened to him, not a reproach for failing to join the battle. It shouldn't surprise him but he couldn't help the disappointment, part of him still longs for his parent's affection.

"Aunt Cissy wanted to see Draco," Rigel said. If she wasn't going to ask about his captivity, there was no need to mention it.

Bellatrix scowled. "He can find his way alone. Come with me, together we can bring this castle down."

There was something maniacal in Bellatrix's tone and Rigel stepped back as she reached out. She paused, her hand still outstretched to touch him, pouting like a child denied a toy. Behind him, Draco made a soft noise, somewhere between a whimper and cough.

"We should go," Draco said, his voice trembling slightly. Rigel nodded and backed away further.

"The Dark Lord gave his orders," Bellatrix snarled. The hand that had been outstretched dropped to her side. Rigel noted the tight grip on her wand and felt a spike of fear. "Cissy can wait. We have orders. Tonight we end this! Tonight we forge a future without mudbloods and muggles. The Dark Lord will kill Potter tonight and grant us everything we've dreamed up. A pure world, a world of only magic for us, with no vermin in sight!"

Abruptly, Rigel recalled Granger's words. _He's a halfblood, his father was a muggle._ She'd simply stated them, confident in the truth. A truth Snape had confirmed. A truth that flipped everything he'd been taught upside down. Bellatrix's proclamations sounded silly with Granger's words bouncing around his head.

"The Dark Lord," Rigel chuckled. For the first time in his life, the name sounded juvenile, a childish name, rather than a title to revere. The Dark Lord had been a figure in his nightmares for months, but amidst a battle for the future of the world, Rigel wondered if perhaps he'd missed something. The Dark Lord wanted Potter, chased desperately after him and still failed multiple times to kill him. Potter was far from an accomplished wizard and his short time amongst Potter and his friends, Rigel had concluded that not only was Granger the brains of the operation, she was by the the most competent and powerful of them. What threat did Potter pose beyond a name?

"You _dare_ mock the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix shouted. She raised her wand threateningly. Rigel started at the wand pointed at him and laughed again. Perhaps he'd finally lost his mind, but in that moment, Rigel didn't care about Bellatrix's threats. Hogwarts was burning around them, Potter and his friends fighting their final stand, and the future of everyone he cared about hung in the balance and yet Rigel couldn't stop laughing.

"Rigel," Draco warned.

"Dear mother, did you know, that our _master_ , the great Dark Lord is a halfblood?" Rigel asked. Bellatrix glared, advancing until her wand was pressed against Rigel's face and silenced his laughter. She reached out with her other hand, wrapping it around his throat. Draco whimpered in the background, but didn't intervene.

"What did you say?" Bellatrix hissed. She squeezed his throat, and pushed him down. Rigel dropped to his knees, acutely aware of the wand pressing against his face.

"Tom Riddle, a plain muggle name from a simple muggle man. No great pureblood, no true heir to Salazar Slytherin's legacy, just a pretender," Rigel said. Bellatrix growled, her nails digging into Rigel's throat. "Snape knows it to be true."

That gave Bellatrix pause. She released her grip on Rigel, allowing him to rise to his feet. She was wide eyed as she stepped back, disbelief all over her face.

"No, it can't be," she said.

She didn't get a chance to continue. Footsteps were approaching. Bellatrix spun around, wand at the ready as the slow bulky figure of Mad-Eye Moody appeared, followed Bill Weasley and another redhead close in age, presumably another brother.

"Thought I saw some snakes hiding away," Mood said, taping his magical eye. "Just surprised to see you hear Bellatrix."

Bellatrix growled before launching a volley of spells. Rigel backed away, barely dodging a stunner fired from Moody. He landed roughly on the ground, rolling to avoid debris. He saw Draco's retreating figure and scrambled to his feet to catch up. He could hear Bellatrix's laughter as she battled against the order members. Even outnumbered, Rigel was sure she would win.

Rigel had almost caught up to Draco when a high cold voice spoke. The suddenness sent Rigel crashing into the wall as he frantically searched for its source before realizing the Dark Lord was speaking to everyone.

"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured."

Rigel looked forward, finding a terrified Draco leaning against a wall at the end of the corridor. Draco looked sick again and his hand shook as he clung to the wand his mother had loaned him.

"I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

The voice trailed off, silence settling over the area for a brief moment. The Hogwarts resistance was unsure what to make of the words, but the Death Eaters and their followers were retreating. Rigel rose to his feet, glancing back to Bellatrix. She was gone.

A Weasley was on the ground, his brother checking on him. Mad-Eye Moody stared at Rigel and raised his wand. Rigel dove away, rolling into the wall. Then he realized his mistake. Mad-Eye had not used any sort of stunner; he'd fired at the wall.

Rigel tried to stand but his robes were stuck to the wall. Further down the corridor, Draco was in a similar position. Moody advanced slowly, he shook his head at their struggles.

"I'm afraid we can't allow to you leave," Moody said. He looked back where the injured Weasley was getting to his feet. " _Stupify_ "

* * *

"Wake up!" Someone was shaking him. Rigel twitched, shoving the hands away from his body. Draco was hovering above him.

"What happened?" Rigel asked. He felt groggy as Draco pulled him up.

"We have to go, Potter, he turned himself in, but something went wrong, he's not dead," Draco said. He tugged Rigel's hand, trying to get him moving. "Come on, we have to go."

In the distance, Rigel could hear a battle taking place. Draco tugged his arm again and Rigel stumbled forward. His mark was burning a slow and steady pulse that call to him. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He was in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the rope at his feet that must have restrained him. Bodies were pilled around, some still breathing, others of the dead. Outside a great battle was being fought. Whatever had happened had not ended things.

"Rigel!" Draco shouted.

"I'm fine," Rigel said, still feeling groggy. He started walking forward, stopping as he realized he had no wand. "My wand?"

"I don't know, they took them I guess. It doesn't matter, we have to go, before they find us," Draco said. Whether he meant the Order or the Death Eaters, Rigel didn't know but he allowed Draco to lead him.

Outside the great hall the corridor was half destroyed. The front wall was in pieces providing a decent view of the battle outside. The center of the battle was easy to spot. The Dark Lord and Potter were dueling, or rather Potter was attempting to duel. It was clear he was at a disadvantage. Around them, several other duels were taking place.

Rigel spotted Rodolphus battling McGonagall and Rabastan struggling against Shacklebolt. Bellatrix was facing Tonks again, the auror apparently recovered from their previous encounter. Behind Tonks, Granger, Lovegood, and the Weasley girl took down the Carrow twins and stood ready to step in should Tonks need assistance.

All around him, Death Eaters were falling, useless recruits easily subdued by students and seasoned veterans of battle stopped in their tracks by the Order and Hogwarts professors. Shacklebolt's stunner found its mark, sending Rabastan tumbling to the ground. McGonagall used the very ground to trap Rodolphus and finished him with stunner.

Only Bellatrix and the Dark Lord remained. Tonks faltered as a slashing jinx grazed her side but Granger stepped in, followed by the Weasley girl and Lovegood. Together the four of them drove Bellatrix back, but they couldn't overpower her. Bellatrix backed away, eyes frantically scanning the room. It was clear her side was losing.

Undeterred, Bellatrix pushed back against her opponents. She took a few hits, a slashing spell cutting through her side deep enough that Rigel could see the blood on her corset. Still, Bellatrix stood strong. She fired curse after curse, Unforgiveables and other dark spells, shouting out with glee as her opponents scrambled to avoid being hit.

Potter and the Dark Lord screamed in unison as their wands locked together. A bright light flared between them, red lights crashing into each other and flaring out. Then the Dark Lord leaped into the air. Potter's spell crashed into some debris and he stumbled. The Dark Lord flew straight at him, crashing into him. There was a flash of light and then they were both airborne, spinning through the air and struggling against each other.

Rigel tried to follow their path, but they flew higher and disappeared around a tower, still locked together in a dark cloud. Others tried to follow, Order members screaming about Potter, but everyone was distracted by the remaining duel, if one against four counted as a duel.

Bellatrix was more than holding her own against her opponents. A killing curse nearly hit the Weasley girl, she dove away, the spell harmlessly hitting the wall behind her. Bellatrix cackled gleefully, reckless advancing as Granger and Lovegood fired spell after spell at her. Bellatrix fired back with killing intent and they threw themselves to the sides to avoid being hit.

Then a new challenger stepped up. The Weasley matriarch walked past her daughter, screaming at Bellatrix. Bellatrix cackled, not caring in the slightest for her new opponent. She stood still, scanning the room

Weasley fired a bright red light that hit Bellatrix square in the chest. Bellatrix was hurled back with a short scream that died out as her body crashed to the ground. Rigel waited, watching Bellatrix's arms twitching before going still. She didn't get up.

A triumph cry rang out among the Order members. Rigel felt numb as he stared at his mother's body on the ground. He couldn't understand. One spell should not have defeated her. It couldn't be.

"Rigel, we have to go." Draco said.

High above, a thundering scream rang out. Potter's body was tumbling down rapidly. At the last moment, Potter stopped his descent, floating to the ground just as the Dark Lord landed. Potter stood on unsteady feet, his wand gripped tightly, still defiant despite being clearly outmatched. The Dark Lord was snarling, but Rigel noted the slight shaking of his frame. Something was wrong.

They screamed at each other, words lost in the wind that swirled around. Potter stood his ground, for the first time Rigel could see Potter's strength. He was brave, standing across from the Dark Lord with no fear. He was confident and determined.

" _Avada Kadavra!"_

" _Expelliarmus!"_

The spells clashed into each other before the red light surged. The Dark Lord's killing curse was forced back, crashing into him. The lights faded away, Potter's spell harmless disapating.

The spells crashed into each other. Green and Red lights fought against each other. Then they flared and turned course. The red light faded away, Potter's spell harmless dissipating before it could reach him. The green light of killing curse flew backwards striking the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord's body fell to the ground, eye slits staring blankly out. In the end, he was a mortal man.

* * *

 **Ugh, I'm not happy with the last parts of this chapter. I really wanted to change the ending, but ended up sticking with smaller changes. Tonks is alive and slight changes to the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort.**

 **Next chapter will start to cover the aftermath, focusing primarily on Hermione and the winning side. But don't worry, I have plans for Rigel and the losing side here, including Rigel's growth from a Death Eater to a reformed man and Hermione's equal.**


End file.
